Affect and information processing outcomes: The influence of valence and activation

The following research investigated limits on research linking mood-dependent processing and applied outcomes as a result of the manner in which affect has been operationalized---the focus has primarily been on affective Valence. Results based on this distinction generally found that Negative Affect relates to reduced reliance on general knowledge structures and an increased focus on incoming stimuli, while Positive Affect relates to increased reliance on general knowledge structures and a decreased focus on incoming stimuli. However, the failure to consider the additional influence of affective Activation may have oversimplified these relations. It is suggested that while Valence may influence visual attention to incoming stimuli, Activation may influence reliance on general knowledge structures during cognitive deliberation. The research described here exposed participants to 4 different mood-inducing films (varying by Valence and Activation level), then had them complete 3 primary dependent variable tasks assessing attention to incoming stimuli, cognitive deliberation, and creativity. Results suggest that in some outcome domains, there may be processing differences when both Valence and Activation are taken into account. These differences were primarily seen in conditions where there was a mismatch between individual disposition and induced mood or when recent personal experiences interfered with processing. The implications of the information processing results, along with results of factor analysis, for applied and theoretical research are discussed.