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Feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling at-risk: a review of incidental affect's influence on likelihood estimates of health hazards and life events

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  • Erika A. Waters

Abstract

The recent increased interest among researchers in the ways in which emotion, mood, and affect influence risk perceptions is an important step in better understanding how people understand and perceive health risk information. However, the literature involving incidental affect (ambient mood) is not as well known. The 23 years of research examining incidental affect's influence on likelihood estimates of health hazards and life events has not previously been integrated and examined critically. This comprehensive review found that incidental affect influenced likelihood estimates in a predictable way. Individuals experiencing positive affect made more optimistic likelihood estimates than did individuals experiencing negative affect. Individuals experiencing negative affect made more pessimistic likelihood estimates than did individuals experiencing positive affect. Anger was unique among negatively valenced emotions by influencing judgments in the same way as positive affect (i.e., relatively optimistic likelihood estimates). Three theoretical explanations are offered, including one that addresses the role of anger specifically.

Suggested Citation

  • Erika A. Waters, 2008. "Feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling at-risk: a review of incidental affect's influence on likelihood estimates of health hazards and life events," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(5), pages 569-595, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jriskr:v:11:y:2008:i:5:p:569-595
    DOI: 10.1080/13669870701715576
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    Cited by:

    1. Bonnie A. Armstrong & Erika P. Sparrow & Julia Spaniol, 2020. "The Effect of Information Formats and Incidental Affect on Prior and Posterior Probability Judgments," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 40(5), pages 680-692, July.
    2. Xiao‐Fei Xie & Mei Wang & Ruo‐Gu Zhang & Jie Li & Qing‐Yuan Yu, 2011. "The Role of Emotions in Risk Communication," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 450-465, March.
    3. Jounghwa Choi & Kyung-Hee Kim, 2022. "The Differential Consequences of Fear, Anger, and Depression in Response to COVID-19 in South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-13, May.
    4. V.H.M. Visschers & P.M. Wiedemann & H. Gutscher & S. Kurzenhäuser & R. Seidl & C.G. Jardine & D.R.M. Timmermans, 2012. "Affect-inducing risk communication: current knowledge and future directions," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 257-271, March.
    5. John T. Brady, 2012. "Health risk perceptions across time in the USA," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(6), pages 547-563, June.
    6. Jennifer L. Cerully & William M.P. Klein, 2010. "Effects of emotional state on behavioral responsiveness to personal risk feedback," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(5), pages 591-598, July.

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