Positive mood and executive function: Evidence from Stroop and fluency tasks.
Abstract
Contrasting predictions have been made about the effects of positive mood states on the performance of frontal lobe tests that tap executive functions such as inhibition, switching, and strategy use. It has been argued that positive mood is likely to improve some cognitive processes, particularly those dependent on the frontal cortex and anterior cingulate of the brain. However, there is some evidence that happy mood may impair executive functioning. The current experiments investigated the effects of positive mood on Stoop and fluency tests, which are frequently used to assess executive function. Positive mood impaired performance on a switching condition of the Stroop test, but improved performance on a creative uses test of fluency. The effect of positive mood on an executive task may therefore depend on whether a task is inherently motivating or is impaired by diffuse semantic activation.
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Positive mood, associated with pro-social attitudes, can impair inhibitory control (Stroop performance), increase distractibility, and impair self-other distinction.
“Positive mood, which is associated with prosocial attitudes, can lead to poor performance on Stroop inhibition tasks (Phillips, Bull, Adams & Fraser, 2002), increased distractibility (Dreisbach & Goschke, 2004), and impairment of the ability to distinguish self from others (Stroessner, Mackie & Michalsen, 2005).”
From Social attitudes modulate automatic imitation (2010) · cites this paper as Phillips, Bull, Adams & Fraser, 2002
Findings from mood and cognition research are consistent with the hypothesis that social attitudes modulate mimicry via effects on inhibitory mechanisms.
“The results of studies investigating the effect of mood on cognition are consistent with the hypothesis that social attitudes modulate mimicry via their effects on inhibitory mechanisms.”
From Social attitudes modulate automatic imitation (2010) · cites this paper as Phillips, Bull, Adams & Fraser, 2002
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BackgroundIrrelevant thoughts, emotional mood states, and cognitive task performance
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- Authors
- Phillips, L. H., Bull, R., Adams, E., & Fraser, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Venue
- Emotion
- Published
- 2002
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 12-22
- ISSN
- 1528-3542 (ISSN-L)
- 1931-1516
- OpenAlex
- W2129577781
- Cited by
- 351
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 2.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Emotion (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Historical and Modern Theater Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Keywords
- positive mood, executive function, Stroop task, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, task switching, semantic activation, motivation, frontal lobe function
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Affect, Attention, Color Perception, Creativity, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Phonetics, Problem Solving, Reading, Mental Recall, Reference Values, Semantics, Students, Verbal Behavior, Verbal Learning
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