What is mood management? Is it yoga, your favorite song to bring you up, aromatherpy, the gym, possibly Netflix? Well the correct definition is mood management theory , or my take …finding your zen. Mood management theory is the consumption of messages , particularly entertain messages that are capable of altering prevailing mood states The selection of specific messages for consumption often serves the regulation of mood states. (Zilmann, 1988) Mood Management research can be traced back to leon Festingers (1957) cognitive dissonance theory. Cognitive dissonance is when a person has two or more beliefs, ideas or values in action that goes against one another. I call this STRESS. In the year 2020 we still have people who believe the earth is flat when we all know from science it is indeed round or sphere like , which ever you prefer. I bring this up, well , haven’t you ever gotten into an argument with someone who has different ideas or values. Off course you have were human. Its frustrating and causes your mind to go into a state of frenzy. So how do you destress yourself. Evidence states that mood management has been largely applied to entertainment choices. Ever heard “Sit back, relax , and enjoy the show”, those simple words allow your brain and body to release the tension or uneasiness you had prior. Mood theory states that once the mood has shifted into a positive states, individuals unknowingly arrange their environment so the good mood is then maximized or maintained.
For me I do Yoga, well I’m beginning to. I read and play some Heilung or a little Black Coffee if Im really in a distressed mood. What I realize is indeed Mood Management theory is correct to an extent. For instance yoga is all about focusing on your breathing with long stretches. You clear your mind.. let go of everything prior. Easy right? WRONG! It took me about an entire month of yoga to get it down to an exact downward dog for me to release my stress and come into the world of zen. However, after yoga what do I do? I focus my energy on something that in theory keeps me in the mood of melancholy.
Sources:
Mood Management Theory
Leonard Reinecke
First published: 08 July 2016 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0085 Citations: 3
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0085?cookieSet=1
Just Another College Student 