EFFECT OF MOOD STATE AND FRAMING OF TASK OBJECTIVE ON EXPLORE-EXPLOIT DECISION CHOICE MAKING

Abstract

To exploit a familiar choice to explore a new option? In life, people are presented with many explore-exploit decision choices and this decision-making process is influenced by many things. While previous research on explore-exploit decision choice making recruited depressive patients, little research explored the use of a mood induction on healthy participants to induce a depressive mood state. Using an abridged Velten Mood Induction Procedure and a novel variant of a 2-armed “Leapfrog” bandit task, this study investigated the effects of mood state and framing of task objective on explore-exploit decision choice making. A total of 107 undergraduates participated in this study. It was found that participants induced in a depressive mood state explored less while participants completing tasks under gain- maximization explored more. For tasks framed under gain-maximization condition, the study found no significant difference in exploratory choices between participants induced into a depressive mood state and those induced into a neutral mood state. However, for tasks framed under loss-minimization condition, participants induced into a depressive mood state explored less than participants induced into a neutral mood state. In summary, being in a specific mood state and viewing tasks framed under different perspectives influences an individual’s explore-exploit decision choice making.