Alice M. Isen was an American psychologist and Professor of Psychology and of Marketing at Cornell University. A prominent and widely published scholar, her research concerned the influence of affect on social interaction, thought processes, and decision making, including applications to organizational behavior, medical decision making, doctor-patient interaction, issues in services marketing, and issues related to brand equity and loyalty. She was among the most highly cited business school faculty members in the world.
Isen is known for her work on positive emotions. Along with a group of researchers she conducted a series of experiments that show how these emotions have effects on decision-making. Isen found that positive emotions facilitate creativity, successful problem-solving and negotiation, as well as thoroughness and efficiency during the decision-making process. Her work on this particular area has been applied to different fields such as medical diagnosis.
Isen, A. M.. "Missing in Action in the AIM: Positive Affect's Facilitation of Cognitive Flexibility, Innovation, and Problem Solving." Psychological Inquiry 13: 57-65.
Isen, A. M.. "An Influence of Positive Affect on Decision Making in Complex Situations: Theoretical Issues with Practical Implications."Journal of Consumer Psychology 11: 75-85.
Isen, A. M.. "Some Perspectives on Positive Affect and Self-Regulation." Psychological Inquiry 11: 184-187.
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Book chapters
Isen, A.M. & Erez, A.. Some measurement issues in the study of affect. In A. D. Ong and M.H.M. van Dulmen, Oxford Handbook of Methods in Positive Psychology. NY: Oxford.
Isen, A.M.. "Some Perspectives on Positive Feelings and Emotions: Positive Affect Facilitates Thinking and Problem Solving." In Manstead, A.S.R., N. Frijda, and A. Fischer Feelings and Emotions: The Amsterdam Symposium.. NY: Cambridge.
Isen, A. M. "Positive Affect as a Source of Human Strength." in The Psychology of Human Strengths. L. G. Aspinwall and U. Staudinger.
Isen, A.M. & Labroo, A.A.. "Some Ways in Which Positive Affect Facilitates Decision Making and Judgment." In S. Schneider & J. Shanteau Emerging Perspectives on Judgment and Decision Research. NY, Cambridge: 365-393.
Isen, A.M.. "Positive Affect, Systematic Cognitive Processing, and Behavior: Toward Integration of Affect, Cognition, and Motivation. In F. Dansereau and F.J. Yammarino Multi-level Issues in Organizational Behavior and Strategy,. Oxford, UK: JAI/Elsevier Science.
Isen, A. M.. "A Role for Neuropsychology in Understanding the Facilitating Influence of Positive Affect on Social Behavior and Cognitive Processes." Handbook of Positive Psychology. C. R. Snyder and S. J. Lopez. Oxford, England and New York, NY, Oxford University Press: Chapter 38: 528-540.
Isen, A. M.. "Positive Affect and Decision Making." Handbook of Emotions. 2nd Edition, M. Lewis and J. M. Haviland-Jones. New York, Guilford