Conference presentation
If you’re happy and you know it, can you think flexibly?
Frontiers in psychology, Vol.9
Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference, 15th (Coffs Harbour, Australia., 04/10/2018 - 05/10/2018)
27/09/2019
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Abstract
Aim: Cognitive flexibility refers to a cognitive skill that underlies an individual’s ability to efficiently adapt their behaviour within a changing environment. Low mood and high stress have been found to impede cognitive flexibility. Some studies also suggest that individuals may exhibit enhanced cognitive flexibility when in a positive mood state. This study investigated the effect of a brief mood enhancing intervention on cognitive flexibility using a switching task that controlled for speed of processing and inhibitory control. Methods: Thirty-one participants (Mage = 24, SDage = 4.45) completed a computerised switching task on two separate occasions. An autobiographical memory task was used to elicit positive (on one occasion) or neutral (on the other) mental imagery prior to completing the switching task and the effects of the task were quantified using self-report measures of positive and negative affect. The order of the positive and neutral conditions was randomised and all participants completed the second condition within one week. Results: The mood enhancing intervention successfully elicited changes in affect. Results revealed increased positive affect (t(28) = 3.39 p = .002 d = .3) and decreased negative affect (t(29) = 5.51, p < .001, d = -.37) in the positive condition compared to the neutral condition. These improvements were not associated with improvements in cognitive flexibility (t(28) = -.36, p = .720, d = .01). Conclusion: Given that the mood manipulation was successful it may be that either: 1) everyday capacity to switch between tasks is not influenced by slight changes in positive mood as previously thought; or, 2) the computerised neurocognitive assessment tasks used here were insufficiently sensitive to detect such an effect.
Details
- Title
- If you’re happy and you know it, can you think flexibly?
- Creators
- Hayley Giniunas - Southern Cross UniversityEmily Hindman - Southern Cross UniversityDesirée Kozlowski - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in psychology, Vol.9
- Conference
- Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference, 15th (Coffs Harbour, Australia., 04/10/2018 - 05/10/2018)
- Identifiers
- 991013103990402368
- Academic Unit
- Human Sciences; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference presentation