Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Feeling Certain: The Impact of Emotions on Overconfidence

Publication Date

2026

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Psychological Sciences and Neurosciences, Department of

SURS Faculty Advisor

Adam Smiley, PhD

Presentation Type

Metadata Only

Abstract

The current study investigates how positive, negative, neutral emotional states influence overconfidence and performance on a general knowledge test. In this study, college students will be randomly assigned to a positive, emotion, negative emotion, or control condition. Participants will recall and describe a happy, sad, or ordinary experience, report their current emotional state, estimate their expected performance on a general knowledge test, and then complete the test. Prior research indicates that emotional states can influence judgment and information processing (Schwarz & Clore, 1983; Clore & Huntsinger, 2007). Some research points to the fact that overconfidence can impact performance and overall emotions on a test (Dunning, et al., 1990). Additionally, research examining mood and confidence on general knowledge questions has produced mixed findings, with some studies finding no significant differences in overconfidence across mood conditions, while other research has found that positive affect can increase overconfidence (Allwood & Björhag, 1991; Ifcher & Zarghamee, 2014). While previous research has examined the relationship between emotion, judgment, and overconfidence, less is known about how positive and negative emotional states influence the difference between expected and actual performance on a general knowledge test. Understanding this relationship may help explain how emotional states influence people’s confidence in their own knowledge and judgments. Data will be analyzed and results will be presented at SURS.

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