The practice of evaluating situations with the Riverside Situational Q-Sort (RSQ:Wagerman & Funder, 2009) is relatively new. The present study aimed to investigate the theoretical framework supporting the RSQ with regards to the potential confounds of emotional state and the use of Likert-type ratings. Data were collected from a sample of Florida Atlantic University students (N = 206). Participants were primed for either a positive or negative mood state and asked to evaluate a situation with the RSQ in either the Q-Sort or Likert-type response format. Results suggested that response format has a significant influence on RSQ evaluations, but mood and the interaction between mood and response format do not. Exploratory analyses were conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms responsible. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection