A social model of persistent mood states

Abstract

Researchers have used moods to explain a variety of phenomena, yet the social causes of a mood are unknown. In this article, I present a social model of persistent mood states that argues that interactional characteristics such as the status differences between actors, the perceived responsibility of the other actor, and the reason for an emotional response influence the persistence of an emotional response to a situation. The mechanisms through which these factors cause an emotion to become a mood are the intensity of the emotional reaction and how much the actor reflects on the situation as a result of the interaction. I use data from the 1996 General Social Survey to test this model for anger; the results of the analyses provide support for many aspects of the model. The proposed model is a first step in explaining social factors that cause persistent mood states, and I discuss possible directions for future scholarship. © American Sociological Association 2012.