first proposed by U.S. psychologists Norbet Schwarz (1953 – ) and Gerald I. Clore (1939 – ), the format ion theory is a theory of affect and information processing which suggests that a person may use their current emotional state or mood as a piece of information for when making social judgements on another individual.
MOOD-AS-IN FORMAT ION THEORY: “According to the mood-as-in formation ion theory, individuals will use their current mood as a piece of evidence when forming social judgements on another individual.”