The effect of mood on risk taking: a systematic review

Abstract

This research investigates the nuanced influence of internally experienced moods, specifically focusing on positive and negative moods, on individuals' propensity for risk-taking behavior. The objective is to discern the intricate impact of mood on risk-taking, a subject that has elicited varying results in diverse studies. A systematic search for experimental-research studies, spanning from the present to 1983, was conducted using PubMed and Semantic Scholar databases. After a meticulous examination of the complete texts, a final set of 13 studies was chosen for analysis. The results revealed divergent findings: some studies indicated that positive mood increased risk-taking behavior, while others suggested a similar effect for negative mood. These opposing outcomes are explained by two hypotheses: the Mood-Maintenance Hypothesis and the Affect Infusion Model. This study aims to comprehensively explore and compare the substantiation of these two theories across a range of experimental studies, contributing to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between mood and risk-taking behavior.