Affective Intuition and Task-Contingent Affect Regulation

Abstract

Mood influences cognitive activity and behavior in systematic ways. Since such affective contingencies are repeatedly and broadly experienced, they should be available for learning and possibly conscious introspection. We examine the role of such intuitive theories in guiding affect regulation in a series of four studies and show that even suboptimal hedonic adjustments (i.e., preferences for the negative pole of the affective spectrum such as negative mood maintenance) were deliberately chosen in an attempt to match cognitive requirements of forthcoming tasks. We contrast affect discrepancy and strength of signal hypotheses to explain how affect regulation goals are activated.

Keywords: Affect regulation, mood, emotion, goals

JEL Classification: M39