In Schachter and Singer's (1962) study, which group reported the highest levels of happiness?

In Schachter and Singer's study, the misinformed group reported the highest levels of happiness because their emotional experiences were influenced by the context provided to them in the study. Participants in this group were led to believe that their physiological arousal was caused by a harmless substance (instead of a potentially stress-inducing one) and were exposed to a confederate exhibiting happy behaviors. This social context likely enhanced their emotional experience, making them feel more joyful and happy in response.

The misinformed participants interpreted their physiological arousal in light of the misleading information they received, shaping their emotional response to match the cheerful behavior they observed in the confederate. Thus, the combination of being misinformed about the source of their arousal and witnessing positive stimuli led to the highest reports of happiness in this group.

In contrast, the informed group, who understood the cause of their physical feelings, may have been less likely to misattribute their emotional state to the external environment, resulting in lower levels of reported happiness. The placebo group had no external triggers to elicit strong emotional responses, and the not informed group lacked the misleading information that could facilitate a heightened experience of happiness, leaving them somewhere in between.