Affect and decision making: a “hot” topic

Abstract The seven papers in this special issue represent the breadth and complexity of approaches to the study of affect in judgment and decision processes. Four papers examine the role of arousal or specific emotions in decision making. The three other papers investigate the impacts of uncertainty, time course, and thinking about mood. We briefly describe four functions of affect in decision making (affect as information, as a spotlight, as a motivator, and as common currency) and relate them to the seven special‐issue papers. The role of affect in decisions and decision processes is quite nuanced and deserves careful empirical study in basic and applied research. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.