Common cold is contagious; we all know that and probably have caught it many times. It may or may not seem possible to you but our moods are also contagious. We all can catch another person’s good or bad mood. There are people who make us feel better. Every time we are around them we feel better about life and ourselves. It’s not that always make us laugh but they’re easier and more enjoyable to be around them.
You are at work and someone comes over to share something important with you. They are very excited about it and in the same excitement they deliver the news to you. This excitement is going to affect you for sure and you just cannot help being put in a good mood. Then there are people who seem to get you down or frustrate you on a consistent basis. People like chronic complainers bring about negative feelings to just about everyone. Everyone has been through situations like this.
You are at work and someone comes over to share something important with you. They are very excited about it and in the same excitement they deliver the news to you. This excitement is going to affect you for sure and you just cannot help being put in a good mood. Then there are people who seem to get you down or frustrate you on a consistent basis. People like chronic complainers bring about negative feelings to just about everyone. Everyone has been through situations like this.
There are more subtle ways where one can observe the contagiousness of moods. If you just briefly talk to someone, you know slightly or even if you don’t know and they are distressed and unhappy. You are likely to catch their distressed expression but it’s less likely that you go fiery because you have seen someone else having throwing a temper fit.
In everyday life we have potential to catch moods from other people depending on their strengths and the synchronization level among two people. If a person is depressed or down, he will rather go to the person who is near his mood rather than someone who is excited or all cheery. We often feel drawn to those who share our mood because human seeks validation.
We, humans, are all transmitters and receivers because we’re equipped with mirror neurons, nerve cells in brain, that makes us adopt the mood of those around us. Generally, the more outgoing a person is the more he’s likely to impart his mood on others, while, those who are sensitive, aloof and observers are more probable to get affected by moods of others.
Good and bad moods have a ripple like effect on others. The contagious nature of moods can be desirable but it can also be destructing. There’s nothing better than someone else’s good mood making a difference for you but if you recognize being affected by a bad mood of someone, do something about it. Move away from the person or just be on guard against the effect they’re imparting on you. You can try to impart your good mood on them, give them a shoulder to cry, or a listening ear but don’t give them power to affect your day.
Keywords: moods, contagious, emotions, excited, depressed.
