A model of mood as integrated advantage

Mood is an integrative and diffuse affective state that is thought to exert a pervasive effect on cognition and behavior. At the same time, mood itself is thought to fluctuate slowly as a product of feedback from interactions with the environment. Here we present a new computational theory of the valence of mood—the Integrated Advantage model—that seeks to account for this bidirectional interaction. Adopting theoretical formalisms from reinforcement learning, we propose to conceptualize the valence of mood as a leaky integral of an agent’s appraisals of the Advantage of its actions. This model generalizes and extends previous models of mood wherein affective valence was conceptualized as a moving average of reward prediction errors. We give a full theoretical derivation of the Integrated Advantage model and provide a functional explanation of how an integrated-Advantage variable could be deployed adaptively by a biological agent to accelerate learning in complex and/or stochastic environments. Specifically, drawing on stochastic optimization theory, we propose that an agent can utilize our hypothesized form of mood to approximate a momentum-based update to its behavioral policy, thereby facilitating rapid learning of optimal actions. We then show how this model of mood provides a principled and parsimonious explanation for a number of contextual effects on mood from the affective science literature, including expectation- and surprise-related effects, counterfactual effects from information about foregone alternatives, action-typicality effects, and action/inaction asymmetry.

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Using Primary Reinforcement to Enhance Translatability of a Human Affect and Decision-Making Judgment Bias Task

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn_a_01776 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Vikki Neville ◽

Peter Dayan ◽

Iain D. Gilchrist ◽

Elizabeth S. Paul ◽

Michael Mendl

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Affective State ◽

Lapse Rate ◽

Prediction Errors ◽

Affective Valence ◽

Behavioral Measures ◽

Judgment Bias ◽

Affective Arousal ◽

Nonhuman Animals ◽

Positive Valence

Abstract Good translatability of behavioral measures of affect (emotion) between human and nonhuman animals is core to comparative studies. The judgment bias (JB) task, which measures “optimistic” and “pessimistic” decision-making under ambiguity as indicators of positive and negative affective valence, has been used in both human and nonhuman animals. However, one key disparity between human and nonhuman studies is that the former typically use secondary reinforcers (e.g., money) whereas the latter typically use primary reinforcers (e.g., food). To address this deficiency and shed further light on JB as a measure of affect, we developed a novel version of a JB task for humans using primary reinforcers. Data on decision-making and reported affective state during the JB task were analyzed using computational modeling. Overall, participants grasped the task well, and as anticipated, their reported affective valence correlated with trial-by-trial variation in offered volume of juice. In addition, previous findings from monetary versions of the task were replicated: More positive prediction errors were associated with more positive affective valence, a higher lapse rate was associated with lower affective arousal, and affective arousal decreased as a function of number of trials completed. There was no evidence that more positive valence was associated with greater “optimism,” but instead, there was evidence that affective valence influenced the participants' decision stochasticity, whereas affective arousal tended to influence their propensity for errors. This novel version of the JB task provides a useful tool for investigation of the links between primary reward and punisher experience, affect, and decision-making, especially from a comparative perspective.

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Affective and Semantic Representations of Valence: A Conceptual Framework

Emotion Review ◽

10.1177/1754073919868759 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 283-293 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Oksana Itkes ◽

Assaf Kron

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Framework ◽

Recent Work ◽

Affective Response ◽

Current Work ◽

Semantic Representations ◽

Affective Valence ◽

Affective Science ◽

Empirical Perspective ◽

Current Article ◽

Monolithic Structure

The current article discusses the distinction between affective valence—the degree to which an affective response represents pleasure or displeasure—and semantic valence, the degree to which an object or event is considered positive or negative. To date, measures that reflect positivity and negativity are usually placed under the same conceptual umbrella (e.g., valence, affective, emotional), with minimal distinction between the modes of valence they reflect. Recent work suggests that what might seem to reflect a monolithic structure of valence has at least two different, confounding underlying sources, affective and semantic, that are fundamentally distinct, dissociable, and that obey different, recognizable rules. The current work discusses this distinction and provides implications for affective science from both the theoretical and the empirical perspective.

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The Impact of Political Activities on PSX: The Evidence from Pakistan

Global Economics Review ◽

10.31703/ger.2018(iii-ii).06 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol III (II) ◽

pp. 55-66

Author(s):

Sami Ur Rahman ◽

Ihtesham Khan ◽

Muhammad Faizan Malik

Keyword(s):

Stock Exchange ◽

Moving Average ◽

Abnormal Returns ◽

Government Policies ◽

Political Activities ◽

Government Organizations ◽

Political Events ◽

And Behavior ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

The aim of this research study is to find the association between political events in Pakistan and Pakistans stock exchange. The study considered 10 most big political events in Pakistan in the duration of 2012 to 2017. To calculate the results, the study used moving average method for calculating expected and abnormal returns. Further, t-statistics is used to explore the relationship between political events and behavior of PSX (100). The study has explored in results that political events, on which investor believes some change in Government policies do have impact on PSX. Investors respond positively when government organizations look strong and free from political pressure. The study recommended that government should make strong their organization, rather than alter government policies frequently.

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Mood dynamics are associated with learning and not choice

10.31234/osf.io/mbnca ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Bastien Blain ◽

Robb Rutledge

Keyword(s):

Affective State ◽

Computational Modelling ◽

Risky Choice ◽

Adaptive Behaviour ◽

Prediction Errors ◽

Affective States ◽

Environmental Statistics ◽

Probability Prediction ◽

The Difference ◽

Choice Tasks

Updating predictions about which stimuli are associated with reward is an important aspect of adaptive behaviour believed to relate to prediction errors, the difference between experienced and predicted outcomes. Behavioural sensitivity to prediction errors flexibly adapts to environmental statistics. Prediction errors also influence affective states during risky choice tasks that do not require learning, but the relationship between emotions and adaptive behaviour is unknown. Here, using computational modelling we found that mood dynamics, like behaviour, are sensitive to learning-relevant model variables (i.e., probability prediction error). Unlike behaviour, mood dynamics are not sensitive to model variables that influence choice (i.e., expected value), and increasing volatility does not reduce how many trials influence affective state. Finally, depressive symptoms reduce overall mood more in volatile than stable environments. Our findings suggest that mood dynamics are selective for variables relevant to adaptive behaviour and suggest a greater role for mood in learning than choice.

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How institutional theories explain and fail to explain organizations

Journal of Organizational Change Management ◽

10.1108/jocm-05-2019-0130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (7) ◽

pp. 1223-1252

Author(s):

Herman Aksom ◽

Inna Tymchenko

Keyword(s):

Institutional Theory ◽

No Value ◽

Strategic Behavior ◽

Radical Change ◽

Institutional Pressures ◽

Science Literature ◽

Organizational Fields ◽

Content Type ◽

And Behavior ◽

Methodology Of Science

PurposeThis essay raises a concern about the trajectory that new institutionalism has been following during the last decades, namely an emphasis on heterogeneity, change and agentic behavior instead of isomorphism and conformist behavior. This is a crucial issue from the perspective of the philosophy and methodology of science since a theory that admits both change and stability as a norm has less scientific weight then a theory that predicts a prevalence of passivity and isomorphism over change and strategic behavior. The former provides explanations and predictions while the latter does not.Design/methodology/approachThe paper offers an analysis of the nature, characteristics, functions and boundaries of institutional theories in the spirit of philosophy and methodology of science literature.FindingsThe power of the former institutional theory developed by Meyer, Rowan, DiMaggio and Powell lies in its generalization, explanation and prediction of observable and unobservable phenomena: as a typical organizational theory that puts forward directional predictions, it explains and predicts the tendency for organizations to become more similar to each other over time and express less strategic and interest-driven behavior, conforming to ever-increasing institutional pressures. A theory of isomorphism makes scientific predictions while its modern advancements do not. Drawing on Popper's idea of the limit of domains of explanation and limited domains of theories we present two propositions that may direct our attention towards the strength or weakness of institutional theories with regard to their explanations of organizational processes and behavior.Practical implicationsThe paper draws implications for further theory building in institutional analysis by suggesting the nature of institutional explanations and the place of institutional change in the theoretical apparatus. Once institutional theory explains the tendency of the system towards equilibrium, there is no need to explain the origins and causes of radical change per se. Institutional isomorphism theory explains and predicts how even after radical changes organizational fields will move towards isomorphism, that is, institutional equilibrium. The task is, therefore, not to explain agency and change but to show that it is natural and inevitable processes that organizational field will return to isomorphic dynamics and move towards homogenization no matter how much radical change occurred in this field.Originality/valueThe paper discusses the practical problems with instrumental utility of institutional theories. In order to be useful any theory must clearly delineate its boundaries and offer explanations and predictions and it is only the former 1977/1983 institutional theory that satisfies these requirements while modern advancements merely offer ambiguous theoretical umbrellas that escape empirical tests. For researchers therefore it is important to recognize which theory can be applied in a given limited domain of research and which one has little or no value.

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Experimental Effects of Priming on Affective Responses to Acute Exercise

Psych ◽

10.3390/psych2010007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 54-73

Author(s):

Ovuokerie Addoh ◽

Robert Sanders ◽

Paul Loprinzi

Keyword(s):

Positive Affect ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Acute Exercise ◽

Video Clip ◽

Affective State ◽

Affective Priming ◽

Affective Valence ◽

Short Video ◽

The Mean ◽

The Relationship

The purpose of this study was to experimentally investigate the relationship between positive affect elicitation (using a short video clip) prior to exercise and affect during acute aerobic exercise. A counterbalanced, within-subject experimental design was used. We conducted three related experiments. In Experiment 1, 30 adults aged 18–40 years participated in a positive affect-elicitation condition (“affective priming”) and a control condition. Participation involved watching a five-minute video clip, as well as walking on a treadmill at a (self-selected) brisk pace for ten minutes. We compared affective ratings at baseline and intra-exercise for both conditions using a 2 (condition; priming versus no priming) × 2 (time; pre- versus mid-exercise) repeated measures ANOVA. In the follow-up experiments, we re-examined the relationship between affective priming and intra-exercise affect, addressing some limitations noted with Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, we compared the affect-elicitation properties of self-selected and imposed video clips. In Experiment 3, we re-investigated the potential affective benefits of priming, while including a neutral (neither positive nor negative) video during the control condition to attenuate potential demand characteristics, and a positive video-only condition to investigate possible carryover effects. Self-selected and imposed film clips showed similar affect-elicitation properties. Comparing the priming and control conditions, there were notable differences in the mean intra-exercise affective valence ratings (p = 0.07 Experiment 1, p = 0.01 Experiment 3). The mean affective activation ratings were not significantly different (p = 0.07 Experiment 1, p = 0.86 Experiment 3). Priming the affective state prior to exercise may be beneficial for enhancing intra-exercise affect.

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Understanding backers’ interactions with crowdfunding campaigns

Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship ◽

10.1108/jrme-12-2016-0053 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 252-272 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mujtaba Ahsan ◽

Erlinde F.I. Cornelis ◽

Andrew Baker

Keyword(s):

Social Science ◽

Conceptual Framework ◽

The Body ◽

Science Literature ◽

Marketing Communication ◽

Content Type ◽

Communication Plan ◽

Social Science Literature ◽

Behavior Network ◽

And Behavior

Purpose Crowdfunding has become a popular method to acquire capital for entrepreneurial ventures. To successfully achieve funding goals, it is critical for crowdfunding campaigns to attain support of individuals (backers). This paper aims to presents a conceptual model that links a reward-based crowdfunding campaign’s product, pitch and promoter characteristics to expert and casual backers’ evaluation and behavior. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws from literature from consumer behavior, network, signaling and informational social influence theories to design a conceptual framework that highlights factors that influence potential backers’ participation in crowdfunding campaigns. Findings It is demonstrated that the conceptual framework presented in the manuscript usefully organizes the real-world tactical marketing decisions of a crowdfunding backer while also being readily amendable to integrating theoretical accounts of human behavior from a diverse body of social science literature. Empirically testable propositions are derived from this social science literature and recast into a manner that could be investigated in the crowdfunding context to expand the body of knowledge on this topic. Practical implications This manuscript provides a framework that can be useful to crowdfunders who wish to strategically plan how their marketing communication plan features may be tailored to attract both early- and late-stage crowdfunding backers. Originality/value This paper is novel in the crowdfunding literature because it integrates a diverse body of literature to explicitly identify how the strategic and tactical marketing communication characteristics of a crowdfunding campaign are likely to differently influence different types of potential crowdfunding backers.

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Systematic map of conservation psychology

10.31235/osf.io/bjtfn ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kenneth Wallen ◽

Adam Landon

Keyword(s):

Social Psychology ◽

Human Cognition ◽

Science Literature ◽

Attitudes And Beliefs ◽

Conservation Psychology ◽

Conservation Science ◽

Systematic Map ◽

Rural Studies ◽

Research Designs ◽

And Behavior

Conservation science and practice commonly draw on the theories and methods of social psychology to explain human cognition, emotion, and behavior germane to biodiversity conservation. We created a systematic map of the cross‐disciplinary conservation science literature, which draws on social psychology concepts and methods in their application broadly described as conservation psychology. Established protocols were used to systematically collect and collate peer‐reviewed research published in an explicit selection of multidisciplinary conservation journals. We sought to catalog the literature, elucidate trends and gaps, and critically reflect on the state of conservation psychology and its research practices that aim to influence conservation outcomes. The volume of publications per year and per decade increased from 1974 to 2016. Although a diversity of research designs and methods was applied, studies disproportionately focused on specific concepts (attitudes and beliefs), locations (North America and Europe), and contexts (terrestrial, rural). Studies also tended to be descriptive, quantitative, and atheoretical in nature. Our findings demonstrate that although conservation psychology has generally become more visible and prominent, it has done so within a limited space and suggest that disciplinary research principles and reporting standards must be more universally adopted by traditional and multidisciplinary conservation journals to raise the floor of empirical research.

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Modeling the Interplay Between Knowledge and Affective Engagement in Students

International Journal of People-Oriented Programming ◽

10.4018/ijpop.2014070103 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 56-74

Author(s):

Sarah E. Schultz ◽

Ivon Arroyo

Keyword(s):

Data Mining ◽

Intelligent Tutoring ◽

Intelligent Tutoring System ◽

Affective State ◽

Educational Data Mining ◽

Affective Engagement ◽

Tutoring System ◽

Learning Session ◽

Psychology Literature ◽

And Behavior

Two major goals in Educational Data Mining are determining students' state of knowledge and determining their affective state as students progress through the learning session. While many models and solutions have been explored for each of these problems, relatively little work has been done on examining these states in parallel, even though the psychology literature suggests that it is an interplay of both of these states that influences how a student performs and behaves. This work proposes a model that takes into account the performance and behavior of students when working with an Intelligent Tutoring System in order to track both knowledge and engagement and tests it on data from two different systems and explores the usefulness of such models.

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