ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the effects of mood on diagnostic reasoning in the context of Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM). Mood has consequences for social cognition and judgements, and influences diagnostic reasoning in organizational contexts because it influences what is accessible in memory and the way in which information is processed. Mood effects are most likely when we have to construct responses to novel situations, which are common in the context of NDM. First, we briefly discuss the NDM context. Next, we present theory on the influence of mood on judgements, and research that demonstrates how mood affects social cognition and judgements. Most of this work has been conducted in laboratory settings that are markedly different from NDM settings. However, by considering the NDM literature through a social cognitive lens, we can begin to discern the role that mood may have in these situations as they unfold, beginning with the process of diagnosis. Lastly, we discuss issues related to the integration of these two literatures and potential areas for application in organizational settings.
