How do the moods of others affect our subconscious? - Historum

**Jake10** · July 11th, 2012, 08:41 PM

We like to be with people in good moods, but is that because it's contagious without us knowing it? This article suggests that, but could that mean that some of us can become depressed because people close to us are?

Quote:

When you see someone coughing, you reflexively know to steer clear of his or her germs. When you observe someone who is cranky or complaining, it is less obvious what to do. Studies suggest, however, that others' moods may be as easy to catch as their germs.
Psychologists call this phenomenon emotional contagion, a three-step process through which one person's feelings transfer to another person. The first stage involves nonconscious mimicry, during which individuals subtly copy one another's nonverbal cues, including posture, facial expressions and movements. In effect, seeing my frown makes you more likely to frown. People may then experience a feedback stage--because you frowned, you now feel sad. During the final contagion stage, individuals share their experiences until their emotions and behaviors become synchronized. Thus, when you encounter a co-worker on a bad day, you may unknowingly pick up your colleague's nonverbal behaviors and begin to morph into an unhappy state. Mimicry is not all bad, however; a person can also adopt a friend or colleague's good mood, which can help enhance their bond.
Although mimicry often occurs outside of our awareness, sometimes we can observe it. Let us say you see someone across from you on the train yawn. Often you cannot help but yawn as well. Recent research suggests that this type of mimicry is more common when the person yawning is someone close to you, such as a family member, good friend or romantic partner. Another study revealed that nonconscious mimicry, also dubbed the chameleon effect, occurs more often in more empathetic people.

Is a Bad Mood Contagious?: Scientific American

**tjadams** · July 11th, 2012, 10:06 PM

I'm no scientist, but common sense will tell you that people do send out vibes and
that can be contagious. I guess I'm a rare bird because I can do an easy self-diagnostic
and tell others I'm in a bad mood. When I find myself forced into a bad mood, 'one of those
days,' and I have to teach, I tell my students, "I am in a very bad mood so what you normally
do that doesn't bother me, will bother me now. It is nothing you've done, but I'm in a bad
mood and I don't want to take it out on you." Generally it will take me a little bit to get out
of the mood and it has never infected the kids. My classes are the ones the students
claim they like the most.

**Rosi** · July 12th, 2012, 12:06 AM

I have also come across this before and it seems right to me. Moods are highly contagious.

I've also read that the mood or rather the mental state of a mother has a decisive effect on her baby during the first two or three years of the baby's life. A happy mother will produce a happy child, conversely a depressed/dissatisfied/frustrated mother will pass on those vibes to the toddler and the toddler will grow up to be a bit out of sorts herself. Kids around that age imbibe the vibes around them without discrimination (obviously) and if their mother is unhappy for whatever reason the child will not only pick up those vibes but would also be prone to think she is somehow to be blamed for the mother's unhappiness. Such a child is likely to grow up unsure and overly critical of herself.

**Jake10** · July 12th, 2012, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosi

I have also come across this before and it seems right to me. Moods are highly contagious.

I've also read that the mood or rather the mental state of a mother has a decisive effect on her baby during the first two or three years of the baby's life. A happy mother will produce a happy child, conversely a depressed/dissatisfied/frustrated mother will pass on those vibes to the toddler and the toddler will grow up to be a bit out of sorts herself. Kids around that age imbibe the vibes around them without discrimination (obviously) and if their mother is unhappy for whatever reason the child will not only pick up those vibes but would also be prone to think she is somehow to be blamed for the mother's unhappiness. Such a child is likely to grow up unsure and overly critical of herself.

Interesting, but this may be more chemical than psychological. Infants who drink their mothers' milk take in her hormones, which may account for this.

**Rosi** · July 12th, 2012, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake10

Interesting, but this may be more chemical than psychological. Infants who drink their mothers' milk take in her hormones, which may account for this.

Oh, I wasn't aware of hormones passing through mother's milk. (Sounds a bit ewwy, tbh). At what stage does a woman stop nursing her baby? I'm pretty sure the bit I'd read referred to the transference of the mother's psychological state and the vibes given out in that state to the child, did not touch on the chemical aspect at all. But I'll look it up in any case.

**Jake10** · July 12th, 2012, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosi

Oh, I wasn't aware of hormones passing through mother's milk. (Sounds a bit ewwy, tbh). At what stage does a woman stop nursing her baby? I'm pretty sure the bit I'd read referred to the transference of the mother's psychological state and the vibes given out in that state to the child, did not touch on the chemical aspect at all. But I'll look it up in any case.

After doing more research on this, it appears that you're right. This is primarily psychological.