The Influence of Mood on Social Competences: Do We Perform Differently When We Feel Differently?

Much research has been conducted on the effects of affect. The present study examines whether different mood states (positive, neutral, negative) influence social competences as measured by a Situational Judgment Test in a lab experiment. It was expected that positive mood enhances social competences as opposed to neutral and negative moods. Results, however, showed that participants in a negative or neutral mood outperformed those in a positive mood on the overall score. The theoretical and practical relevance are discussed.