Abstract
World knowledge stimuli were used to investigate the effects of an induced dysphoric mood on fact retrieval and inferential reasoning processes. Sixty young adults were divided randomly into three mood groups (elated, neutral, and dysphoric). The subjects in each group read a different set of 30 sentences, each set designed to induce a specific mood. Two world knowledge question types were then presented, one designed to induce fact retrieval alone and the other designed to induce inferential reasoning. Significant differences for question type were found, with inference questions requiring longer response times and being rated as involving more complex processing than fact retrieval questions. However, groups were not significantly different for number of correct responses, confidence levels, introspective process ratings, or speed of response for either type of question. Thus, induced dysphoric mood did not produce a significant negative impact on utilization of world knowledge.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Buchwald, A. M., Strack, S., & Coyne, J. C. (1981). Demand characteristics in the Velten mood induction procedure. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 49, 478–479.
Camp, C. J. (1981). The use of fact retrieval versus inference in young and elderly adults. Journal of Gerontology, 36, 715–721.
Camp, C. J. (1989). World knowledge systems. In L. Poon, D. Reubens, & B. Wilson (Eds.), Everyday cognition in adult and late life (pp. 457–482). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Camp, C. J., Lachman, J. L., & Lachman, R. (1980). Evidence for direct access and inferential retrieval in question answering. Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior, 19, 583–596.
Camp, C. J., & Pignatiello, M. F. (1988). Beliefs about fact retrieval and inferential reasoning across the adult lifespan. Experimental Aging Research, 14, 89–97.
Cohen, R. M., Weingartner, H., Smallberg, S. A., Pickar, D., & Murphy, D. L. (1982). Effort and cognition in depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 39, 593–597.
Ellis, H. C. (1985). On the importance of mood intensity and encoding demands in memory: Commentary on Hasher, Rose, Zacks, Sanft, and Doren. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 114, 392–395.
Ellis, H. C., & Ashbrook, P. W. (1988). Resource allocation model of the effects of depressed mood state on memory. In K. Fiedler & J. Forgas (Eds.), Affect, cognition, and social behavior (pp. 25–43). Toronto: Hogrefe.
Ellis, H. C., Thomas, R. L., McFarland, A. D., & Lane, J. W. (1985). Emotional mood states and retrieval in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 11, 363–370.
Ellis, H. C., Thomas, R. L., & Rodriguez, I. A. (1984). Emotional mood states and memory: Elaborative encoding, semantic processing, and cognitive effort. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 10, 470–472.
Leight, K. A., & Ellis, H. C. (1981). Emotional mood states, strategies, and state dependency in memory. Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior, 20, 251–266.
Niederehe, G. (1986). Depression and memory impairment in the aged. In L. Poon (Ed.), Handbook for clinical memory assessment of older adults (pp. 226–237). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Pignatiello, M. F., Camp, C. J., & Rasar, L. A. (1986). Musical mood induction: An alternative to the Velten technique. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95, 295–297.
Polivy, J., & Doyle, C. (1980). Laboratory induction of mood states through the reading of self-referent mood statements: Affective changes or demand characteristics? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 89, 286–290.
Tyler, S. W., Hertel, P. T., McCallum, M. C., & Ellis, H. C. (1979). Cognitive effort and memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory, 5, 607–617.
Velten, E. (1968). A laboratory task for the induction of mood states. Behavioral Research & Therapy, 6, 474–482.
Weingartner, H. (1986). Automatic and effort-demanding cognitive processes in depression. In L. Poon (Ed.), Handbook for clinical memory assessment of older adults (pp. 218–225). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Weingartner, H., Miller, H., & Murphy, D. L. (1977). Mood-state-dependent retrieval of verbal associations. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 86, 276–284.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This research was supported by a grant from the Graduate Research Council of the University of New Orleans, awarded to C.J.C.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Camp, C.J., Pignatiello, M.F. Effects of induced dysphoric mood on fact retrieval and inferential reasoning from world knowledge. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 30, 515–518 (1992). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334117
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334117