Mood induction and instructions to sustain moods: A test of the subject compliance hypothesis of mood congruent memory

Abstract

Laboratory mood induction procedures that enlist subjects' co-operation in creating and sustaining moods tend to bias memory toward mood congruence, but this phenomenon may be explained in ways that are not directly related to mood. One such account is the “subject compliance hypothesis” (proposed by Blaney, 1986). which argues that mood congruent recall is the result of subjects' attempts to maintain or boost their moods, not the result of the moods per se. To test this hypothesis, happy and sad moods were induced using the musical mood induction procedure, which enlists subjects' co-operation in altering their moods. After subjects had performed several tasks, however, they were told that they could stop maintaining their mood. When asked to recall autobiographical memories a minute later, subjects nevertheless exhibited mood congruent bias. This finding argues against the subject compliance hypothesis, and suggests that subjects' moods persisted without active maintenance. Implications concerning the nature of moods, mood induction, and self-regulation are discussed.