Mood Influences on Automatic and Controlled Semantic Priming

Mood effects on automatic and controlled components of semantic priming were examined. After a neutral or positive mood manipulation, subjects underwent two blocks of a priming task. Automatic and strategic priming processes were operationally differentiated by the assumption that automatic priming remains constant during the task, whereas controlled priming develops slowly during the course of the experiment. In the first block the priming effect was greater for happy than for neutral mood participants. In the second block the priming effect was greater for neutral mood than for happy participants. The results confirm the hypothesis of a mood-dependent processing change: During early trials priming is based on automatic processing facilitated by positive mood. This processing mode is later superseded by controlled processes aided by neutral mood.