This study examined the impact of self-induced positive and neutral affect and a priori depression on the learning of 62 incarcerated, adolescent males. Sixty-two males with high and low Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) depression scores were randomly assigned to a positive or neutral affect induction condition. Following affect induction, the subjects participated in a series of 5 tasks in which they learned to read Hindi words. The results showed a main effect for self-induced positive affect on learning but there was no main effect for depression nor affect by depression interaction. Implications for further research examining the relationships between affect and learning and behavior are discussed.
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