The Role of Affective Forecasting in Task Behavior: How – and for Whom – Does (in)Accuracy in Emotional Predictions Impact Task Performance?

Carolyn Winslow

Advisor: Seth Kaplan, PhD, Department of Psychology

Committee Members: Lauren Kuykendall, Olivia O'Neill, Jill Bradley-Geist

October 19, 2017, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Abstract:

Given the amount of time humans spend thinking about potential, future hedonic outcomes, there is a considerable amount of research evaluating the accuracy of such anticipated emotional reactions. This area of research on affective forecasting has examined the degree of equivalence between predicted versus experienced emotional reactions. To-date, much research on the topic suggests that people are flawed in their ability to predict how they will feel in response to future events. This study examines how affective forecasting (in)accuracy influences task performance and, secondarily, for whom, and through which mechanisms such may occur.