People know that their feelings influence their thoughts, decisions, and actions. In fact, people may try to put themselves into a more neutral affective state in order to avoid any undue affective biases. But do neutral affective states really exist? And if so, does putting oneself into a neutral state help reduce affective biases? This project examines these important and potentially paradigm-shifting questions as it seeks to determine whether neutral affect may actually create rather than eliminate affective influences. Across 5 experiments, the investigator considers whether neutral affect is a feeling of indifference about the environment, as well as how best to measure it.
This research investigates three key concerns about neutral affect and tests the innovative proposition that neutral affect may actually create affective influences, thereby altering judgment, shaping motivation, and requiring affective regulation. In the past, researchers in this area have clearly focused on valenced states, with neutral mood serving primarily as a valence control condition. The current work breaks with this tradition by focusing on the informational value that can be associated with neutral moods. In so doing, this research will use the tools typical of previous studies of valenced states to show that "indifference" information is conveyed by neutral states. This work can potentially contribute to a better understanding of ways to overcome indifference, and ultimately help to shed light on techniques that would advance discovery and promote learning. In addition, members of underrepresented groups will be included in this project as research participants and as research assistants.
People know that their feelings influence their thoughts, decisions, and actions. In fact, people may try to put themselves into a more neutral affective state in order to avoid any undue affective biases. But do neutral affective states really exist? And if so, does putting oneself into a neutral state actually help reduce affective biases? Also, could neutral feelings be an obstacle that hinders learning and reduces motivation by encouraging apathy? This project examined these important and potentially paradigm-shifting questions as it sought to determine whether neutral affect may actually create rather than eliminate affective influences. Neutral feelings play a central role in research on how affect alters information processing. Researchers assume that (a) neutral affect arises when positive and negative affects are at a minimum and that (b) because affective reactions are at a minimum that neutral states exert little, if any, influence on people's thoughts, motivations, and actions. The problem is that these assumptions have not been empirically tested. As a result, there is a fundamental theoretical, methodological, and functional gap within affect research. This innovative grant tested these assumptions and in the process sought to shed new light on how neutral feelings operate to shape thought and motivation. First, we developed a self-report measure of neutral affect. Preliminary data indicated that neutral affect was a common experience. Moreover, in contrast to researchers assumptions that neutral feelings only arise when positive and negative feelings are absent, our data suggested that neutral states can co-occur with positive and negative states. Second, we examined to what extent neutral feelings were discriminable from other low arousal affective states, like feeling tired, bored, or relaxed. Our work indicated that neutral feelings were distinct from these states. Moreover, treating feelings of boredom and relaxation as indicators of neutral affect could be problematic, in that our work indicated that these two states had different effects on people's ability to engage in novel, creative thought. Third, the project examined what effects neutral feelings have on thought, judgment and motivation. The data suggested that neutral feelings (a) occupied working memory (b) altered judgment, and (c) shaped motivation. For instance, individuals in more neutral states expressed more indifference towards practices that promoted sustainability, tasks that enhanced one's well-being, and towards our military's efforts overseas. This work provides some important insight into how to promote teaching, training, and learning. For instance, one of the projects examined how to promote information seeking within individuals who felt indifferent toward the task. These data have implications for how teachers or employers might promote productivity in students/workers who feel indifferent towards their education or their job. The monies in the grant were used to expand the lab and purchase new software. This new infrastructure made it possible to provide research opportunities for 16 undergraduate students and 4 graduate students, many from underrepresented groups. In order to be more inclusive, over a third of the studies conducted recruited participants from the public at large, thus allowing people aged 18 to any age (our oldest participants were in their 70s) to take part in this research. In order to enhance open access to materials and to further educate the public, measures and findings used within this work are available on the PI's website. The website also contains some "try it" exercises for people to learn more about their feelings and how they process information. The findings have been disseminated at conferences for both people within and outside of the field of psychology. In addition, a classroom exercise designed to teach students about affective attitudes were developed and tested. In terms of benefits to society, Helen Keller once stated that "Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all – the apathy of human beings." By understanding what it means to feel neutral and how the indifference that it signals shapes judgment, motivation, and regulation, science can take a small step towards finding a potential remedy for the detrimental effects of indifference. Indeed, the experiments funded within this grant found ways to reduce feelings of indifference, lessen the effects of indifference on important judgments about the environment, one's health, and military action, and how one can perhaps motivate indifferent individuals to be more productive in school and at work.
