Assignment task:
You can respond to the questions in a traditional essay format, or you can pull out the questions and answer them individually, whichever helps you the most.
How does emotion affect cognition? It almost certainly increases the strength of a memory (for example, compare your memories of September 10, 2001 with your memories of September 11, 2001). But what about the influence of particular emotions when you're making decisions? This is a topic of great importance to many professionals, from teachers (who foster environments that enable students to learn) to pilots (who train to make emergency landings in stressful situations).
Imagine a typical decision you make on a daily basis: whether to save or spend your money. Imagine yourself making that decision under three difference conditions: when you're angry, when you're happy, and when you're afraid. In each case, what do you decide to do with your money?
Now imagine you enter your psychology class and you're angry, or happy, or afraid. Your Professor hands you your test with a big, red D- written on it. In each case, how do you respond?
You can continue this thought experiment as it applies to different areas of your life. Overall, how would you characterize the effects of different emotions on decision-making, and be sure to discuss how understanding emotions better might contribute to more personal and professional success?