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A mood is a relatively lasting affective state. Moods differ from emotions in that they are less specific, often less intense, less likely to be triggered by a particular stimulus or event, however longer lasting.^[1] Moods generally have either a positive or negative valence. In other words, people often speak of being in a good or bad mood. Unlike acute, emotional feelings like fear and surprise, moods generally last for hours or days. Mood also differs from temperament or personality traits which are even more general and long lasting. However, personality traits (e.g. Optimism, Neuroticism) tend to predispose certain types of moods. Mood is an internal, subjective state, but it often can be inferred from posture and other behaviors. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Look up Emotion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Valence, as used in psychology, especially in discussing emotions, means the intrinsic attractiveness (positive valence) or aversiveness (negative valence) of an event, object, or situation[1] However, the term is also used to characterize and categorize specific emotions. ... For other uses, see Fear (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Surprise. ... For temperament in dog fancy, see conformation point. ... Personality psychology is a branch of psychology which studies personality and individual differences. ... “Positive Attitude” redirects here. ... For the band, see Neurotic (band). ...

According to the renowned mood psychologist Robert E. Thayer (1996)², mood is often influenced by two dimensions, namely the energy level and the tension level. A person can be energetic or tired, while being tense or calm. According to Thayer, people feel best when they are in a calm-energy mood. They feel worse when in a tense-tired state.

People often use food to regulate mood. Thayer identifies a fundamental food-mood connection³ , and advise against the reliance on food as a mood regulator. The low energy arousal coupled with tension, as experienced in a bad mood, can be counteracted by walking. Thayer suggests walking as a means to enhanced happiness, a mood-enhancing agent.

Etymologically, mood derives from Old English mōd which denoted mainly (martial) courage, but also in Old English could refer more generally to a person's humour, temper, or disposition at a particular time. The cognate Gothic mōds translates both θυμος "mood, spiritedness" and οργη "anger". The term's ultimate etymology is uncertain, perhaps cognate with Greek μαιομαι "to desire", Slavic sŭ-měti "to dare". Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon[1], Old English: ) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... For other uses, see Courage (disambiguation). ... Thumos (also commonly spelt as thymos) is an Ancient Greek word expressing the concept of spiritedness. ... This article is about the emotion. ...

References

1. ^ Thayer, R. E. (1989). The biopsychology of mood and arousal. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

2. Thayer, Robert E. (1996). The origin of everyday moods: Managing energy, tension and stress. NY: Oxford University Press.

3. Thayer, Robert E. (2001). Calm Energy. NY: Oxford University Press.

See also

• Mood disorders
• Hypomania
• Dysthymia
• Passion
• Megalothymia and Isothymia
• Ecstasy (emotion)
• Óðr