Success and failure in goal attainment as a mood induction procedure

The experimental study of mood and affect requires the manipulation of mood experiences. There are some problems regarding the use of certain types of success and failure mood induction procedures and how they actually induce the desired mood. The authors hypothesized that success and failure in goal attainment would lead to desired differences in positive and negative affect. Results indicate that success in attaining a goal led to more positive affect and less negative affect, while failure in goal attainment resulted in less positive affect and more negative affect. These results demonstrate that goal-setting situations are viable ways to explore affective reactions and support success and failure in goal attainment as a method to induce desired moods.