A Cue Alone or a Probe to Think? The Dual Role of Affect in Product Evaluations

Two studies investigate the conditions under which mood acts as a heuristic cue that influences the judgments of a message and when mood acts as a resource (facilitates relational elaboration). The findings indicate that mood serves as a cue when the message information is not easily accessible. This outcome is qualified by the individuals' willingness to hold accurate beliefs. When respondents are alerted to the potential effect of their mood on their judgment, they correct for it. Positive mood acts as a resource when information about the target is accessible and there are contextual cues that are perceived as relevant to the judgment of a target.