What is the difference between Mood and Affect?

Affect actually has two meanings; it may actually mean to change someone’s feelings or to alter a person's mental state. In a wider sense, it can also be used to mean to affect something in away. In psychology, affect is used to describe the mood, most times a change in mood. While Mood is a state of emotional feeling, which is usually temporary, it results from a stimulus. The word mood has its origin from an old English word, mod, which means courage in war times.

The mood can create either negative or positive valence. That is why people talk about being in either a good or bad mood. Oftentimes, moods last a while longer than other emotional feelings such as surprise and fear. In psychology, the mood is said to have resulted from tension and energy. According to Robert Thayer, calm-energy mood gives the best feelings while the feelings become worse when a person is in a tired or tense mood.

Mood and affect are closely related; however, they mean different things. The effect may either mean altering someone's feelings or mental state. Hence, the word affect. In psychology, affect is used to describe the mood, especially a change in tone. In the sphere of interpersonal communication, the display of affect is imperative. The mood is a state of feeling resulting from a specific stimulus.

The mood has the potential to be both positive and negative, or even balanced in equal nature. Moods last longer than feelings, which is why it is more difficult to combat if it persists for too long. Reactions to both mood and affect can be seen through body language and eye contact.