Moods and Attitude Judgments: A Comment on Fishbein and Middlestadt

Fishbein and Middlestadt (F & M; 1995) proposed that all “noncognitive” influences on attitude change are mediated through changes in beliefs and their evaluative implications. This proposal is evaluated in light of recent research into different processes underlying mood effects on attitude judgments. Whereas some process assumptions (mood congruent recall and mood‐induced differences in processing style) are compatible with F & M's proposal, other influences cannot be traced to changes in belief structure. Instead, individuals’ mood at the time of judgment may itself serve as a source of information, resulting in direct influences on evaluative judgments.