We tend to feel cheerful around happy people and sad around depressed people. This illustrates which psychological phenomenon?

• A. Mood-congruent memory
• B. Emotional contagion
• C. Self-serving bias
• D. Cognitive dissonance

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the scenario described: feeling cheerful around happy people and sad around depressed people involves an emotional response influenced by others' emotions.
2. Step 2: Review the psychological terms provided: Mood-congruent memory refers to recalling memories that match one's current mood; Self-serving bias involves attributing successes to oneself and failures to external factors; Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs or behaviors.
3. Step 3: Recognize that the phenomenon involves 'catching' or 'mirroring' the emotions of others, which is a social and emotional process.
4. Step 4: Identify that 'Emotional contagion' is the psychological phenomenon where individuals unconsciously mimic and synchronize emotions with those around them, leading to shared emotional experiences.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the described situation best illustrates Emotional contagion because it explains how emotions spread from one person to another, influencing mood.