Question: If experiencing strong negative emotions can negatively influence people’s ability to learn, to what extent does experiencing strong positive emotions affect people’s willingness to learn or adapt to new technology?

Expert answer

There is evidence that experiencing strong positive emotions can positively influence people’s willingness to learn or adapt to new technology. A study by Isen, Johnson, Mertz, and Robinson (1985) found that participants who were exposed to a happy film clip were more likely to persevere on a difficult anagram task than those who were not exposed to the happy film clip. This suggests that positive emotions can increase people’s motivation to learn or engage with new tasks.

Similarly, another study by Fredrickson and Losada (2005) found that individuals who experience a higher ratio of positive to negative emotions are more likely to be successful in adapting to change. In this study, the authors used a mathematical model to simulate how different ratios of positive to negative emotions would affect people’s ability to adapt to new technology. They found that a ratio of 3:1 (three positive emotions for every one negative emotion) was the tipping point at which people were most successful in adapting to new technology.

These studies suggest that experiencing strong positive emotions can positively influence people’s willingness to learn or adapt to new technology. This is likely due to the fact that positive emotions increase motivation and perseverance, two key factors necessary for successful learning. Therefore, if you are looking to successfully learn or adopt new technology, it may be beneficial to focus on experiences and activities that make you feel good.

Sources:

Isen, A. M., Johnson, M., Mertz, E., & Robinson, P. (1985). The influence of positive affect on the unusualness of word associations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(6), 1413-1426.

Fredrickson, B. L., & Losada, M. (2005). Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human flourishing. American Psychologist, 60(7), 678-686.