Mood, Perceived Similarity, and the Judgement of the Mood of Others

Intra- and interindividual relationships between elation-depression and desire for excitement1

“…The rationale for this hypothesis is based upon psychological concomitants of elation and depression The studies m this area may be considered m terms of three categones dependmg upon the strategy employed (a) self-selected reportmg m elation and depression (Johnson, 1937, Wessman & Ricks, 1966, (b) factoranalytic studies of mood (Cattell, 1950, McNair & Lorr, 1964, Nowhs, 1965, (c) expenmental manipulation of mood through films, drugs, and hypnosis (Fisher & Marrow, 1934, Levison, 1963, Miller, i960, Wendt, Cameron, & Specht, 1962 Although these studies were conducted on diverse populations and employed different approaches, their results are highly consistent They mdicate that elation is characterized by high levels of energy, activation, and need persistence, by high levels of self-esteem and perceived competence, and by high levels of sociabihty and relatedness to the environment They also demonstrate that depression is typified by low levels of energy, activation, and need persistence, by low levels of self-esteem and perceived competence, and by low levels of sociabihty and relatedness to the environment Nowlis and Nowhs (1956) regard mood as an mtervenmg vanable havmg a direct (unconscious) effect upon the probabihties of certain acts in certam situations Conscious mood is a perceptual-cognitive response to the cues of the hypothetical mood state It is conceived as a source of mformation about the current functionmg of the organism which is mvolved in the selfmonitoring and self-regulation of behavior Desire for excitement may be considered as a self-monitonng perception of one's preparedness to engage m excitmg activities. Exammation of the compatibility of elation or depression and desire for excitement rests upon the nature of excitmg activities and the demands these activities place upon the mdividual in order to be carried out successfully and enjoyably Prehmmary work by Jackson and Lyons (1969) mdicates that such activities as the foUovnng are rated as very excitmg.…”