Effects of Chocolate-Induced Mood on Film Impressions Matt Moore, Dana Newton, and Sarah Pollom Hanover College

Research Objective The main goal of this study was to test whether external factors such as chocolate can influence participants’ moods and higher levels of film evaluation. Environment  Mood  Judgment –(Schwarz & Clore, 1983; Schachter & Singer, 1962, Wyer, Clore, & Isbell, 1999)

Hypothesis Participants who received chocolate prior to the movie clip would have –higher levels of positive moods –lower levels of negative moods –higher levels of film evaluation than participants who received chocolate at the conclusion of the study.

Methods Participants –20 undergraduate Hanover College students –35%male, 65% female –100% Caucasian –Age ranging from with an average age of

Procedure Group of five were randomly assigned to either a chocolate or non- chocolate consuming group. –Participants in the chocolate group each received three Hershey chocolate kisses. All groups watched the same two-minute movie clip –When Harry Met Sally ©1989 –Clip was neutral

Procedure (continued) Participants completed questionnaires –Semantic Differential Scale 22 item 7-point Likert scale measures levels of film evaluation. (Osgood et al., 1957) 13 items were used as fillers E.g. Good __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Bad Reliability test had a final alpha of The initial nine-item scale was reduced to a seven-item scale.

Materials (continued) –Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (“How Do You Feel?”) PANAS designed to measure moods based on two 10- item scales, which comprise both negative and positive moods. (Watson et al., 1988) 5-point Likert scale with endpoints “Very slightly/not at all” and “extremely” The reliability test for positive mood had a final alpha of The initial ten-item scale was reduced to a nine-item scale. The reliability test for negative mood had a final alpha of The initial ten-item scale was reduced to a seven-item scale.

Positive Mood t(18)=-.854, p>0.05

Negative Mood t(18)=3.207, p=0.001

Evaluation of film M = , p = 1.0

Discussion Results indicate that chocolate took the edge off of negativity, but did not increase positive mood or evaluation of the film clip. –If chocolate is given to students before they take a test, it may lower the amount of negativity that the test brings out.

Limitations Length of film/study Lack of control of participants eating all the chocolate Small sample size Midterm week, 8:00 p.m. Neutrality of the film clip Chocolate might not have any effect on study

Future Research Chocolate may have more of an influence if a negative movie clip was used as compared to a neutral movie clip. –Run to see if chocolate serves as a factor able to elicit more of a severe mood change –Chocolate may take the edge off of a negative mood caused by the film. Misattribution –Misattributions often prompts an instant emotional response where the cause is unclear to an individual... as in our case with the chocolate. –Berkowitz & LePage, 1967

QUESTIONS???