The perception of the surrounding reality depends on what the mood is. Any life situation is viewed through the prism of negativity or positivity, depending on the state of mind in which a person is, and the mood expressed in the desire to do something or make decisions.
It's great to be in a good mood
Definition of the concept
It is difficult to give an exact definition of what a mood is. This concept is not easy due to its uniqueness and non-objectivity in each specific case. The authors of scientific works agree that mood is an internal psychological or emotional state that conveys the characteristics of physical existence, the spiritual world and the mental organization of a person in the context of ongoing events. The condition is reflected in all activities and becomes noticeable in behavior.
The formation of mood is influenced by a combination of factors, among which are:
- Health status. There are many processes going on in the body, including the production of certain hormones that affect mood. However, they are not as noticeable as the presence of pain, malaise or a cold, which make themselves felt and worsen overall well-being, affecting behavior.
- Presence of psychological illnesses. If a person is mentally ill, he goes to extremes: a very depressed and sad mood during depression, extremely elated during mania syndrome. When it comes to bipolar mental disorders, both extremes are observed.
- Personal characteristics of character and temperament. They set the general emotional tone: what mood prevails, and what frequency of mood changes is characteristic.
- Personal experience. Stable emotional associations with past events are deposited in memory, and returning to them influences the perception of a similar situation in the present. Associations arise without human control; the source may be unknown and located in the subconscious.
- Living conditions, all external factors. Any event and interaction with other people causes a bouquet of experiences that colors the mood positively or negatively.
- Use of medications, alcohol, drugs.
Peculiarities
Mood determines the overall tone of a person’s life. It depends on those influences that affect the personal aspects of the subject, his basic values. The reason for a particular mood is not always realized, but it is always there. Prolonged bad mood can lead to depression.
The presence of a physiological component in mood (as in any emotion) makes it susceptible to the influence of purely physiological processes in the body. One of the most famous examples of such influence is premenstrual syndrome.
Mood influences the assessment of people and events, as well as the assumption and assessment of possible results of activity. Thus, a person in a “bad” mood tends to assess risks more often than in a “good” mood.
According to Vladimir Levi, “the mood, freed from addictions, itself becomes good: if not joyful, then even; if not elated, then calm”[3].
Main types
Low self-esteem in a person from a psychological point of view
What kind of mood there can be depends on the emotion - the root cause that causes its change.
Variety of emotions
Additional Information. A person experiences up to 70 different types of emotions.
The main types of emotions allow us to identify the main and frequently observed types of mood:
- Neutral (calm). Neutral mood is the absence of visible manifestation of emotions, their muting. Characterized by inner peace. The condition is suitable for work, allowing you to concentrate easily.
- Increased. This type of mood implies the presence of inspiration, joy, happiness, love - a combination of a variety of positive emotions. The definition of high spirits is possible through good health, success at work, pleasant impressions from a meeting.
- Decreased. Characterized by apathy, passivity, boredom, inexplicable melancholy and sadness, and a negative perception of the world. Accompanying extreme emotionality with decreased tone. Activity and performance are low.
Important! If low mood persists for a long time, this may indicate a deterioration in both physical and mental health. In this case, we are talking about a disease, for the treatment of which it is necessary to consult a specialist.
- Working. The type of mood combines emotions that are responsible for the most productive performance. Among them are vivacity, determination, interest in work, the desire to prove oneself, to achieve success, and the determination to achieve positive results, as well as set goals and objectives.
- Irritable. It would be correct to say that such a mood in psychology is characterized by increased emotionality against a background of low activity and negative experiences. Feelings of resentment, frustration, anger, rage, guilt, and confusion prevail. Aggression can be shown towards inanimate objects.
Note! From time to time there is a change in mood, which is the norm; the absence of one is a signal that notifies you of a problem.
Mood in the system of emotional states
The emotional sphere of a person is represented by various types of experiences. They differ in duration, strength, connection with a certain area of life. For example, feelings are always objective, that is, directed towards a specific object. You can't just love and hate. But emotions are situational and are determined not by the attitude towards the subject, but by the situation, that is, by a certain set of circumstances. The strongest, but short-term emotional states are affects, and the most stable are feelings.
In the system of emotional experiences, mood occupies a special place, since it colors all a person’s activities, his entire worldview and influences his assessment of the environment.
Mood in psychology is defined as the general emotional state of a person, which is not associated with a specific object or situation. More precisely, our mood can change under the influence of some circumstance or event. But this is only a push, an external stimulus. The object that ruined our mood has long disappeared from our field of vision, but the bad mood remains and will continue to poison the lives of us and our loved ones for a long time.
There are 3 main features that distinguish mood from other emotional states:
- The mood is not objective, but personal. Its characteristics and stability largely depend on the person himself, his individual psychological characteristics, physical condition, experience, worldview, etc.
- Mood is a generalized emotional state that is not associated with any situation. It manifests itself in all areas of life and affects our communication, professional activities, and attitude to reality in general.
- The mood is diverse and multifaceted. This is a complex alloy, a peculiar mix of emotional experiences. It can be difficult to diagnose and describe even to the individual himself. The mood is ambiguous; it can combine both positive and negative emotions, joy and sadness, peace and impatience, irritation and pleasure.
The famous Russian psychologist S. L. Rubinstein, emphasizing the uncertainty of mood, called it “vague” and “iridescently diverse.”
Emotional background: high and low
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Positive and negative emotions
The basis of mood is laid under the influence of a dominant emotion. The emotion itself, caused by an individual event in life, does not last long, but it influences the creation of a bouquet of internal experiences and forms a long-lasting reaction as a response to what is happening. The predominance of a set of positive or negative experiences forms a general background, which can be increased or decreased.
An elevated background indicates the dominance of positive types of mood: joyful, inspired, interested, fluttering and others.
The low background, on the contrary, consists of a selection of negative types, such as: sad, depressed, irritated and similar ones.
Some authors understand the background of mood as a globally stable attitude of an individual towards himself and the situation around him, which affects the course of certain mental processes, for example, thinking.
Prevailing mood
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The prevailing mood largely determines the nature of the emotional reaction to specific situations. The kind of mood is associated with all the feelings and experiences of the individual, and also depends on temperament and personality type. Under the influence of the prevailing mood, a stable mental state is formed in which emotional components with various signs are intertwined.
We are talking about a personality trait that is noticeable to others: optimism or pessimism. The reaction of an optimist and a pessimist to the same situation will be different due to the fact that these types look at what is happening from different angles.
The prevailing mood is normal for a particular personality type and indicates the state of mind of the individual in the vast majority of cases. Sometimes the dominant mood is neutral, without any strong manifestation.
Excerpt characterizing Mood
- And what a beauty! Thank you, my dear! He took out several gold pieces from his trouser pocket and placed them on her plate. - Well, how are you living? - said Kutuzov, heading towards the room reserved for him. Popadya, smiling with dimples on her rosy face, followed him into the upper room. The adjutant came out to Prince Andrei on the porch and invited him to have breakfast; Half an hour later, Prince Andrei was called again to Kutuzov. Kutuzov was lying on a chair in the same unbuttoned frock coat. He held a French book in his hand and, at Prince Andrei’s entrance, he laid it with a knife and rolled it up. It was “Les chevaliers du Cygne”, the composition of Madame de Genlis [“Knights of the Swan”, Madame de Genlis], as Prince Andrei saw from the wrapper. “Well, sit down, sit here, let’s talk,” said Kutuzov. - It's sad, very sad. But remember, my friend, that I am your father, another father... - Prince Andrei told Kutuzov everything he knew about the death of his father, and about what he saw in the Bald Mountains, driving through them. - What... what have they brought us to! - Kutuzov suddenly said in an excited voice, obviously having clearly imagined, from the story of Prince Andrei, the situation in which Russia was. “Give me time, give me time,” he added with an angry expression on his face and, obviously not wanting to continue this conversation that worried him, said: “I called you to keep you with me.” “I thank your lordship,” answered Prince Andrey, “but I’m afraid that I’m no longer fit for headquarters,” he said with a smile, which Kutuzov noticed. Kutuzov looked at him questioningly. “And most importantly,” added Prince Andrei, “I got used to the regiment, fell in love with the officers, and the people, it seems, loved me.” I would be sorry to leave the regiment. If I refuse the honor of being with you, then believe me... An intelligent, kind and at the same time subtly mocking expression shone on Kutuzov’s plump face. He interrupted Bolkonsky: “I’m sorry, I would need you; but you're right, you're right. This is not where we need people. There are always many advisers, but no people. The regiments wouldn’t be the same if all the advisers served there in regiments like you. “I remember you from Austerlitz... I remember, I remember, I remember you with the banner,” said Kutuzov, and a joyful color rushed into Prince Andrei’s face at this memory. Kutuzov pulled him by the hand, offering him his cheek, and again Prince Andrei saw tears in the old man’s eyes. Although Prince Andrei knew that Kutuzov was weak to tears and that he was now especially caressing him and feeling sorry for him out of a desire to show sympathy for his loss, Prince Andrei was both joyful and flattered by this memory of Austerlitz. - Go your way with God. I know your path is a path of honor. – He paused. “I felt sorry for you in Bukarest: I should have sent you.” - And, changing the conversation, Kutuzov began to talk about the Turkish war and the concluded peace. “Yes, they reproached me a lot,” said Kutuzov, “both for the war and for the peace... but everything came on time.” Tout vient a point a celui qui sait attendre. [Everything comes on time for someone who knows how to wait.] And there were no fewer advisers there than here... - he continued, returning to the advisers who apparently occupied him. - Oh, advisers, advisers! - he said. If we had listened to everyone, we would not have concluded peace there, in Turkey, and we would not have ended the war. Everything is quick, but quick things take a long time. If Kamensky had not died, he would have disappeared. He stormed the fortress with thirty thousand. Taking a fortress is not difficult, but winning a campaign is difficult. And for this you don’t need to storm and attack, but you need patience and time. Kamensky sent soldiers to Rushchuk, and I sent them alone (patience and time) and took more fortresses than Kamensky, and forced the Turks to eat horse meat. – He shook his head. - And the French will be there too! “Believe my word,” said Kutuzov, inspired, hitting himself on the chest, “they will eat my horse meat!” “And again his eyes began to blur with tears.
Useful tips from psychology
Quotes from great philosophers and writers suggest that people have the power to control their mood. For these purposes, there are practical ways to improve it that remain relevant in the 21st century. Taking the path of uplifting your mood is a step towards success.
Dandelions under the sun - an unusual perspective
Positive recommendations:
- Look at what is happening around you in a positive way, set yourself up for the good, learn to notice pleasant moments in any situation. It is enough to simply smile, even if there is no apparent reason. The production of endorphin causes a smile; through smiling you can stimulate the production of endorphin.
- Physical activity or just a walk. It is useful to go outside to your favorite park to enjoy the singing of birds away from the hustle and bustle. Walking at a leisurely pace is a good alternative to working out in the gym. In both cases, hormones are produced that help improve mood.
- Music is considered the golden remedy for getting rid of a bad mood. It is enough to put on a composition for the soul that brings pleasure and peace. You can write your own music, dedicate it to what inspires or pleases.
- Dance ranks next to music on the list of tips. It is not necessary to arrange a presentation of your dance in a crowded place; it is enough to move around for your own pleasure at home to recharge yourself with positive energy.
- Decluttering your home helps to declutter your mind. This is where a lot of activity can take place.
- Creativity promotes the realization of personal potential and helps to throw out emotions. You can write a couple of lines of a poem or draw a picture. Even if it looks like a child in the first grade creates something far from a masterpiece, this is not the main thing. The important thing is that in the process inspiration may come, an unexpected solution to the problem that has become the cause of the bad mood may dawn on you.
- A change of scenery is the idea of lifting your mood. If possible, you should take a vacation and go to the shores of, for example, the Dead Sea, known for its healing properties.
- In terms of life, it is important not to forget about your self-esteem, to make sure that it does not drop, since low self-esteem contributes to the formation of an incorrect idea about what is happening around. This, in turn, can have a bad effect on the individual’s attitude towards the situation in personal relationships, successes and failures at work, and manifest itself in communication with loved ones.
It's easy to jump for joy when everything is fine
In a brief description, mood reflects the internal state of a person and has an external manifestation. Your mood can and should be controlled to improve your life.
Scale
Ron Hubbard is the founder of the tone scale, which is directly related to the topic of mood and emotions in general.
Every person experiences mood swings, but by observing him and noting his emotional state on the tone scale over a long period of time, you can understand what mood is constant and basic for him.
R. Hubbard proposed an extensive list of conditions, each of which has its own score. If a person, according to the results of the study, is below the 2.0 mark, he is called low-tone, if above, he is called high-tone.
If positive events have occurred in a person’s life, he moves up the scale; if negative events occur, he moves down.
The higher a person is on the scale, the easier it is for him to achieve high results in life.
List of emotions with points:
- serenity, 40.0,
- postulates, 30.0,
- games, 22.0,
- action , 20.0,
- inspiration, 8.0,
- feeling of beauty, 6.0,
- enthusiasm, inspiration, 4.0,
- joy, 3.5,
- pronounced interest, 3.3,
- conservatism, 3.0,
- interest of average intensity, 2.9,
- feeling of satisfaction, 2.8,
- lack of interest, 2.6,
- boredom, 2.5,
- monotony, 2.4,
- antagonism, 2.0,
- hostility, 1.9,
- pain, 1.8,
- rage, 1.5,
- hatred, 1.4,
- indignation, 1.3,
- lack of desire to compassion, 1,2,
- restrained indignation, 1.15,
- hidden hostility, 1,1,
- anxiety, 1.02,
- fear, 1.0,
- feeling of despair, 0.98,
- strongly expressed fear, 0.96,
- numbness, 0.94,
- compassion, 0.9,
- cajoling, 0.8,
- deep sadness, grief, 0.5,
- redemption, 0.375,
- undeservedness, 0.3,
- self-deprecation, 0.2,
- victim , 0.1,
- hopelessness, 0.07,
- apathy, 0.05,
- feeling of worthlessness, 0.03,
- dying process , 0.01,
- bodily death, 0.00.
This scale helps you better understand yourself and others and find an approach to them. About the benefits of the scale :
- Your attitude towards the emotions of those around you will change : if a person is angry and behaves inappropriately, you will remember that this is a problem with his tone. If you can identify what tone a person has, it will be more convenient to conduct a dialogue with him: you just need to choose exactly the same tone or a slightly higher one.
- It will be easier to evaluate people who can get into your close circle. For example, if a person's dominant tone is anger or anxiety, it will be difficult to communicate with him.
- If a person is in a too low position, attempts to influence him from a very high position will be useless . For example, there is little point in trying to inspire a person who is in a state of apathy.
- The closer a person is to you on the scale, the easier it is to find an approach to him and begin close communication.
A person, according to this theory, seems to “step” from tone to tone, and in order to get inspired by joy , one will need to feel enthusiasm and a sense of beauty.
But it is important to remember that this scale was created by a person who has nothing to do with psychology. Most psychologists do not consider it and do not consider it significant.
To make it easier to work with the scale , you can periodically mark your own state or make notes regarding the state of someone else, so that in the end you can understand the prevailing tone and find an approach.
