The Influence Of Natural And Induced Emotional States On The Recognition Of Emotional Facial Expressions

Ekaterina Suchkova () and Dmitry Lyusin ()
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Ekaterina Suchkova: National Research University Higher School of Economics
Dmitry Lyusin: National Research University Higher School of Economics

HSE Working papers from National Research University Higher School of Economics

Abstract: There are a number of factors that influence emotion recognition, one of which is the perceiver’s emotional state. This study verifies the predictions of two theories concerning the influence of mood on emotion recognition. According to the affect-as-information theory, people in a positive mood are prone to a more global processing style and perceive emotional facial expressions more easily compared to those in a negative mood. The emotion congruence theory claims that people in a positive mood are more sensitive to positive expressions and people in a negative mood are more sensitive to negative expressions. These predictions were tested with the experimental paradigm using morphed faces developed by Jackson and Arlegui-Prieto. Study 1 used participants’ natural moods; its findings failed to replicate the main results of the original study. Study 2 used laboratory mood induction and showed that participants in a negative mood are more sensitive to negative emotions compared to those in positive mood. These findings support the emotion congruence theory. However, this result was obtained only for the participants with the most effective mood induction. The observed effects of mood are weak and fragile. For more persuasive results, a study with greater statistical power using more effective mood induction procedures is needed.

Keywords: mood; emotion recognition; mood induction; facial morphing task. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Z (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 22 pages
Date: 2020
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-exp and nep-neu
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Published in WP BRP Series: Science, Psychology / PSY, November 2020, pages 1-22

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hig:wpaper:121psy2020

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