Revitalising mood-as-input Revitalising mood-as-input research: Where is the theory research: Where is the theory

and what are the real and what are the real applications?applications?Graham DaveyGraham Davey

University of Sussex, UKUniversity of Sussex, UK

What is mood-as-input?What is mood-as-input? The extent to which someone performs a The extent to which someone performs a

task differs as a function of both their task differs as a function of both their mood and stop rulemood and stop rule

The same moods can have different The same moods can have different implications for task performance implications for task performance depending on the context or stop rule in depending on the context or stop rule in which the mood is experiencedwhich the mood is experienced

moods convey information as part of a moods convey information as part of a configural processing system configural processing system

Stop RulesStop Rules ‘‘As many as can’ (AMA)As many as can’ (AMA) ‘‘Feel like continuing’ (FL)Feel like continuing’ (FL)

A Configural View of Task A Configural View of Task PerseverationPerseveration

+AMA=

The 2 x 2 DesignThe 2 x 2 DesignMartin, Ward, Achee & Wyer (1993)Martin, Ward, Achee & Wyer (1993)

05

101520253035404550

AMA FL

Negative MoodPositive Mood

Applications to Applications to PsychopathologyPsychopathology

Pathological WorryingPathological Worrying Compulsive CheckingCompulsive Checking Depressive RuminationDepressive Rumination Perseverative DietingPerseverative Dieting Perseverative GamblingPerseverative Gambling

Important ConsiderationsImportant Considerations AMA/NEG or FL/POS configurations?AMA/NEG or FL/POS configurations? Is there evidence for the validity of Is there evidence for the validity of

AMA/NEG combinations?AMA/NEG combinations? What task do we use?What task do we use? Does the task have ecological validity?Does the task have ecological validity? How do we measure perseveration?How do we measure perseveration? What control conditions do we need?What control conditions do we need? How do we manipulate and control mood?How do we manipulate and control mood?

Pathological WorryingPathological Worrying(Startup & Davey, 2001)(Startup & Davey, 2001)

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Catastrophising Reverse catastrophising

Interview condition

Mea

n ca

tast

roph

isin

g st

eps Negative mood

Positive mood

Neutral mood

The effect of different stop rules on catastrophising in high & low worriers

(Startup & Davey, 2001)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

As many as can Feel like continuing

Goal instruction condition

Mea

n ca

tast

roph

isin

g st

eps Low worry

groupHigh worrygroup

Perseverative CheckingPerseverative CheckingMacDonald & Davey (2005a)MacDonald & Davey (2005a)

number of checksnumber of checks

020406080

100120140160

FL AMA

Positive Mood

NegativeMood

Perseverative CheckingPerseverative CheckingMacDonald & Davey (2005a)MacDonald & Davey (2005a)

Highest number of rechecks on a single lineHighest number of rechecks on a single line

05

10152025303540

FL AMA

Positive Mood

NegativeMood

Manipulating ResponsibilityManipulating ResponsibilityMacDonald & Davey (2005b)MacDonald & Davey (2005b)

Total time spent checkingTotal time spent checking

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Positive Mood Negative Mood

Low ResponsibilityHigh Responsibility

Depressive RuminationDepressive Rumination(Hawksley & Davey, 2009)(Hawksley & Davey, 2009)

NEGATIVE MOODPOSITIVE MOOD

Experimental Condition

12.00

10.00

8.00

6.00

4.00

2.00

0.00

Mea

n R

umin

atio

n St

eps

Error bars: 95% CI

FLAMA

stoprule

Perseverative GamblingPerseverative Gambling ‘‘continue to play continue to play

until you feel that until you feel that you have done as you have done as well as you can’ well as you can’ (AMA condition)(AMA condition)

‘‘stop playing when stop playing when you no longer feel you no longer feel like continuing’ like continuing’ (FLC condition)(FLC condition)

ResultsResults

Figure 1 . Mean duration of gambling session as a function of stop rule condition and mood induction group.

0123456789

10

Negative Mood Positive MoodMood Condition

95% confidence interval

Mea

n Ti

me

Spen

t G

ambl

ing

(min

utes

)AWAFLC

Stop Rule Condition

Some Critical IssuesSome Critical Issues Are mood-as-input effects robust?Are mood-as-input effects robust? Do all combinations of mood + stop Do all combinations of mood + stop

rule have ecological validity?rule have ecological validity? Are mood and stop rule genuinely Are mood and stop rule genuinely

independent?independent? Why do individuals in an AMA/Negative Why do individuals in an AMA/Negative

Mood condition eventually stop?Mood condition eventually stop?

Are Mood & Stop Rule Are Mood & Stop Rule Independent?Independent?

Negative mood induces higher performance Negative mood induces higher performance standards (Scott & Cervone, 2002)standards (Scott & Cervone, 2002)

Negative mood promotes a more systematic Negative mood promotes a more systematic and deliberate information-processing style and deliberate information-processing style than positive mood (Ambady & Gray, 2002; than positive mood (Ambady & Gray, 2002; Batra & Stayman, 1990)Batra & Stayman, 1990)

Specific negative moods are associated with Specific negative moods are associated with specific appraisals (Tiedens & Linton, 2001)specific appraisals (Tiedens & Linton, 2001)

Intention to Resolve WorriesIntention to Resolve WorriesDavey & MacDonald, 2009, unpublishedDavey & MacDonald, 2009, unpublished

EXPERIMENTAL CONDITION

Neutral Mood Low SaliencyNeutral Mood High Saliency

Cognitive PrimingNegative Mood Low Saliency

Negative Mood High Saliency

INTE

NTI

ON

TO

RES

OLV

E W

OR

RY

80.00

60.00

40.00

20.00

0.00

Error Bars: 95% CI

Endorsement of AMA or FL Endorsement of AMA or FL worry stop rulesworry stop rules

Experimental Experimental ConditionCondition

AMAAMA FLFL

-ve mood/hi -ve mood/hi saliencysaliency

99 33

-ve mood/lo -ve mood/lo saliencysaliency

1010 22

Cognitive Cognitive primingpriming

44 88

Neutral mood/hi Neutral mood/hi saliencysaliency

55 77

Neutral mood/lo Neutral mood/lo saliencysaliency

33 99

Negative Mood & Stop Rules Negative Mood & Stop Rules for Checkingfor Checking

Britton & Davey, 2009, unpublishedBritton & Davey, 2009, unpublished

Why do worriers eventually Why do worriers eventually stop?stop?

Davey, Eldridge, Drost & MacDonald, 2007Davey, Eldridge, Drost & MacDonald, 2007

END OF TASKPRIOR TO TASK

MEAN

AMA

STO

P RU

LE R

ATIN

G

300

200

100

0END OF TASKPRIOR TO TASK

MEAN

FL S

TOP

RULE

RAT

ING

300

200

100

0

Are Mood-as-input effects Are Mood-as-input effects caused by a Mood-as-input caused by a Mood-as-input

mechanism?mechanism? Configural interactions between mood and Configural interactions between mood and

stop rulestop rule Attribution effectsAttribution effects Mood intensity effectsMood intensity effects Cognitive load effectsCognitive load effects Failure to use Objective EvidenceFailure to use Objective Evidence Testing the role of mood information with Testing the role of mood information with

complex stop rulescomplex stop rules Use of specific, discrete negative moodsUse of specific, discrete negative moods AlexthymiaAlexthymia

Mood-as-input and Specific Mood-as-input and Specific Negative MoodsNegative MoodsMeeten & Davey, 2009Meeten & Davey, 2009

Mood conditionNeutralAngryAnxiousHappySad

Mea

n nu

mbe

r of c

atas

troph

ising

step

s 14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Error bars: 95% CI

flam

SR

Applications – Developing a Applications – Developing a Low Intensity Intervention for Low Intensity Intervention for

WorryingWorryingJones & Davey, 2009-11Jones & Davey, 2009-11

Focus Group Sessions:Focus Group Sessions: How do we notice when we’re worryingHow do we notice when we’re worrying The pros and cons of stopping worryingThe pros and cons of stopping worrying Noticing Stop Rules and MoodNoticing Stop Rules and Mood The impact of MoodThe impact of Mood Changing stop rulesChanging stop rules Overcoming BarriersOvercoming Barriers

Concluding ThoughtsConcluding Thoughts Mood-as-input can be applied to Mood-as-input can be applied to

perseveration at a broad range of tasksperseveration at a broad range of tasks What is the mechanism that underlies What is the mechanism that underlies

mood-as-input effects?mood-as-input effects? What are the parameters within which What are the parameters within which

mood-as-input effects can be expected?mood-as-input effects can be expected? How relevant is mood-as-input to clinical How relevant is mood-as-input to clinical

phenomena?phenomena?