PSY 311 Lecture 3: The Influence of Affect on Cognition
6 Mar 2019
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LECTURE TOPIC 8: THE INFLUENCE OF AFFECT ON COGNITION
Give 2 examples of the types of questions asked in Topic 8, The Influence of Affect on
Cognition. In what way does affect influence how people process information?
1. What is the impact of affective state on cognitive processes such as perception,
thinking, creativity, problem solving, and on cognitive flexibility (being able to see a
problem from a different perspective)?
2. How does affect influence interpersonal interactions such as presenting a persuasive
argument or negotiating?
Accommodation involves focusing on the demands of the external world, paying careful
attention to external stimulus information (more externally oriented thinking) and using more
inductive, bottom-up thinking.
Assimilation is a processing style in which existing knowledge structures in the mind guide
processing, thus producing top-down deductive thinking.
Positive affect is thought to promote a more assimilative type, whereas negative affect calls for
a more accommodative, externally focused style.
Describe the major mood (affect) induction technique used in studies of the influence of
affect on cognition.
• False feedback paradigm
o What is the English translation of the following words: rliea, ojbwox, kprael, etc.?
• Music
• Unexpected reward
• Imagery
o Imagine a time you were sad or angry
• The Weather
The cognitive benefits of negative affect: When is sad better than happy?
• Negative affect DECREASES the chances that judgmental mistakes will be made. People
in negative affect states are less likely to make mistakes.
• People experience negative affect are MORE ACCURATE in making eye witness reports.
o On the other hand, positive affect people are more likely to incorporate
misleading information in their eyewitness accounts.
Fundamental Attribution Error
• Believing that the action of others have internal causes even if they are actually caused
by external forces or circumstances (ex: believing people are poor because they are lazy)
Document Summary
Lecture topic 8: the influence of affect on cognition. Give 2 examples of the types of questions asked in topic 8, the influence of affect on. Accommodation involves focusing on the demands of the external world, paying careful attention to external stimulus information (more externally oriented thinking) and using more inductive, bottom-up thinking. Assimilation is a processing style in which existing knowledge structures in the mind guide processing, thus producing top-down deductive thinking. Positive affect is thought to promote a more assimilative type, whereas negative affect calls for a more accommodative, externally focused style. Describe the major mood (affect) induction technique used in studies of the influence of affect on cognition: false feedback paradigm, what is the english translation of the following words: rliea, ojbwox, kprael, etc, music, unexpected reward. Imagine a time you were sad or angry: the weather.
