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In psychology , affect is used to describe mood, especially a change in mood. However, while affect may describe mood, the two are completely different in meaning. Mood is a state of feeling (emotional), usually temporary, resulting from a specific stimulus. The word is derived from an ancient English word âmodâ which meant courage especially during war times.
Affective is a word that crops up a lot in psychologyâit means having to do with emotions or moods. Affective disorders are characterized by mood swings. It can be tricky to remember the difference between effective and affective (but easier than distinguishing between effect and affect). Effective makes a judgment about how something worksâan effective strategy is one that works well.