As we trudge across campus with our rain boots and umbrellas, I can’t help but wonder if weather really does affect our mood. I also wonder if people in various locations around the world are happier or worse off due to the climate of their area.
In a German study presented here, researchers examined the effects of six different weather patterns on mood. They initially hypothesized that individual differences in weather sensitivity exist. 1,233 German respondents provided information about themselves that could be linked to weather in their area. The ages ranged from 13 to 68 and the majority of the participants were women. Participants had to first take a pretest questionnaire, they were then required to fill out daily questionnaires that dealt with their mood. The scales of emotion were randomized on every questionnaire, so participants did not form a habit of answering the same way. Weather data was used from the German Weather Institute and researchers decided to use temperature, sunlight, and wind power as factors in their analysis. After a multilevel analysis, they found that daily weather had no significant effects on positive mood. The affects of temperature, wind power, and sunlight on negative mood were found, however. They concluded that their experiment goes against “common stereotypes about the link between weather and mood”.
After taking Andrew’s class, we have the ability to form our own ideas about the casualty of this experiment. Obviously, mood cannot affect weather unless perhaps you are a celestial being, and third variables are practically impossible to find. The researchers included this in their paper to draw better conclusions. They stated that weather was an external variable that could not be influenced by a person or a third variable. They were fully aware that their experiment design did not establish causality, but their “findings are highly consistent with a causal model that flows from weather to mood”.
Now can this prove that people who live in certain climates are happier? These researchers reference a study by Lansdowne and Provost, which can be seen here, that states that decreased sunlight and vitamin D3 could lead to negative effects and tiredness. However, more research still needs to be done on that subject to prove such a thing. Those who live in warmer climates will naturally be exposed to more sunlight, however, that does not necessarily mean they will be happier. In the German study, they found that weather sensitivity is independent of other personality traits, so grumpy people living in the Arctic may simply be grumpy.
I believe that other variables can affect a person’s mood, which by chance, could correlate with the weather. Many people can choose to believe the stereotype due to personal experience or what they have been told, but scientifically, it is not proven. So next time the weather is crappy (tomorrow and the rest of the week), remind yourself that you do not have to feel crappy as well.
I really loved your post because I am always wondering as well if weather can really affect my mood. Whenever it seems to rain, I always find myself feeling extra glum about the day. But from the studies you found in your post, there seems to be no immediate connection between weather and mood. However I would suggest the theory may be that weather affects something In our brains that associates bad weather with the emotion of sadness, causing bad weather to constantly make us feel sad. I think they need to do more studies on the matter and look at brain functions to really determine whether or not this is actually a fake connection.
I always thought that weather and our mood had a connection. This post was very interesting, and proved me wrong! I like how you not only gave different studies for your topic, but also related it back to correlation, third variables, and all the other things we learned about in class. Why though, in the German study, were the majority of the participants girls? Could this have had an effect on the overall results? Hopefully this post will help me have a positive attitude when it rains next, now that I know I do not have to be lazy or upset when it is raining. (Although, of course, I would much rather have sun.)
I agree with the emphasis on the positive qualities derived from the sun. I would like to question the difference between taking a vitamin D pill, and naturally being exposed to vitamin D. Whats the difference between 20 minutes of vitamin D3(what we require for sufficient nutrients), and taking a vitamin D pill? I would argue there is a difference. If there wasn’t children who became seasonally depressed could simply resort to CVS.
Given Pennsylvania has extremely low exposure to vitamin D, I looked up the consequences of vitamin D deficiency, specifically. The consequences include cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This news scared me. How can we counteract the bad luck of our geographic position? Will artificial supplements save us from the negative effects of our lack of vitamin D exposure? Does a vacation to Florida for a week regulate our vitamin D levels? These are some questions that I pose for our class.
sources: http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/natural-vs-synthetic-vitamins/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21310306
I thought that this was a very good topic to bring up since its been raining here for the past couple of days. I like how you included the casualty of the experiment and related it back to class. Also, I was surprised that there was really no end result whether or not weather has an effect on mood. What stuck out to me in your post was that the German study that you talked about, the majority of participants were women and I was wondering if that could make a difference in the findings of the study?
Here’s another study conducted on how weather effects mood that I thought would also go well with your post.
Wow, this is not what I was expecting at all! I would have thought that science would prove that there is a connection between the weather and one’s mood. I would have never thought that it is just a stereotype that a majority of us play into. I am a pretty optimistic person, but on dreary days like today,( and the rest of the week) I tend to feel a bit more tired than usual. Also, my roommate is an international student from Milan, and every morning she gets up, looks out the window and says, “It’s so cold! This weather is so depressing.” Then, she checks her weather app for the weather back in Italy and groans about how it’s so much warmer back home. Moreover, maybe it’s not all weather, in general, that affects our mood, maybe it’s specifically the sun. The sun is known for boosting certain hormones in our bodies that increase energy. The sun also gives us vitamin D that helps our bones and immune systems stay strong. So, like I said, maybe it’s just the sun? Now, that I think about it, I have never heard people complain about sun showers! If you don’t believe me, read more about it in the following link!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/15-reasons-why-the-sun-is-good-for-you-623393