The fluctuations of mood

Summary and Conclusions

A group of 24 subjects recorded judgments of mood and physical conditions three times a day during a five weeks’ period. On the basis of the data gathered from this group the following conclusions may be drawn:

• 1. Marked individual differences were observed in regard to the average level of mood and its fluctuations around this level. There was no evidence of periodicity in these fluctuations, either daily or weekly.

• 2. The coefficients of correlation between judgments of mood and those of physical condition are generally low and positive, although statistically significant in a majority of cases. It appears that in general the physical condition is a contributing factor rather than a direct cause of mood, except in cases of actual illness.

• 3. The most frequently reported causes of cheerful moods were social participation, past and present, and accomplishment in the tasks of the day. The most frequently reported causes of depressed moods were illness and the anticipation of work to be done. The subjects indicated an inability to give any cause for the existent mood in approximately 50% of the reports.