Mood Swings May Actually Be a Good Thing, Scientists Say

Lisa Franchi November 16, 2015

While viewed too often as a negative thing, mood swings can actually help people, and animals, adapt to the ever changing world - new research revealed.

Scientists from the University College found that when times are good and spirits are high, we are more likely to take risks and succeed. And when times are pretty rough, sulking can help us conserve our energy.

Take for instance a stock market trader. According to the researchers, this person is likely to make a successful deal as he becomes more optimistic about the outcome of his next transaction. The increase in risk taking allows him to make maximum gains at a time when risk taking is most likely to pay off.

This applies to a variety of events, they note.

Another example in the natural world - rather than assessing each tree individually, this good mood helps the animal to look at the big picture and optimistically make it think fruits are in abundance. This encourages the animal to climb up the neighbouring branch – where good conditions make it more likely that there will be a tasty fruit available.

’This effect of mood should be useful whenever different sources of reward are interconnected or possess an underlying momentum.’ says Eran Eldar, one of the researchers.

’That may often be the case in the natural as well as in the modern world, as successes in acquiring skills, material resources, social status, and even mating partners may all affect one another.’

When rewards are starting to thin out – for example if winter is coming – then a negative mood will result in an individual event, such as finding a fruit, being ’downgraded’– allowing behaviour and expectations to be quickly adjusted downwards.