Emotion regulation
Refers to the processes by which individuals modify the trajectory of one or more components of an emotional response
–> it can thus influence the
Emotion regualtion tradition
Aims to understand the ways individuals regulate their emotions
Name the 5 families of emotion regulation strategies.
Situation selection (ER)
Involves choosing or avoiding some activity, people etc due ti their expected emotional impact
e.g. meeting up with a friend after having a bad day to be happier again
–> 2 types
Confrontation
Situation selection
Involves choosing to face a situation in spite of the negative emotions it might potentially elicit
–> efficient if it is likely to bring long-term benefits
Avoidance
Situation selection
Escaping the situation as a whole
–> usually done if the situation is unlikely to bring future benefits + no side effects
Situation modification
ER
Involves changing aspects of a physical situation to change its emotional impact, without simply avoiding the situation
–> 3 types
Direct situation modification
Situation modification
Taking practical actions that directly impact the situation
e.g. rehearsing a presentation so it goes well and one is less stressed
Help/support-seeking
Situation modification
Seeking others assistance to modify the situation
e.g. asking a classmate for help to finish an assignment
Conflict resolution
Situation modification
Taking steps to defuse a conflict situation
Attentional deployment
Involves altering how we feel by selecting the info we attend to
–> 3 types
Distraction
Attentional deployment
Shifting in attention
–> either way from the situation or away from emotional aspects of the situation
THUS: decreases negative emotions
Rumination
Attentional deployment
Refers to a perseveration focus on thoughts + feelings associated with negative emotion-eliciting event
–> increases the duration + intensity of negative emotions
Mindfulness
Attentional deployment
Purposefully paying attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental way
–> decreases negative emotions, increases happiness
Cogntive change
Refers to changing the way we think in order to change the way we feel
–> 4 types
Self efficacy appraisal
Cognitive change
Being confident that one is able to deal with the situation
Challenge + threat appraisals
Cognitive change
–> challenge appraisals leas to less stress + less HPA axis activity
Positive reappraisals (Cognitve change)
Reapprasing a situation or ones response to it in a more positive way
–> lead to decrease in negative emotion
Acceptance
Cognitive change
Accepting ones situation or ones incapacity to deal with it/uncontrollablity
–> decreases negative emotions + pain
Response modulation
ER
Involves modulating ones response according to a situation
–> types
Emotion sharing
Response modulation
Expressing ones emotions in a socially shared language
–> sharing per se does not foster emotion recovery
BUT: still beneficial to mental health due to indirect effects
e.g. reinforcement of social bonds, transference of affection + warmth
Verbal/physical aggression
Response modulation
Whilst expressing emotions is generally benefial for mental + physical health
BUT: hostility leads to
Substance use
(Response modulation
Moderate alcohol consumption can have health benefits
BUT: excessive consumption has poor effects on mental + physical health
Expressive suppression
Response modulation
Inhibiting the behavioral expression of unwanted emotions
e.g. hiding anger
BUT:
1. rarely changes the negative emotion experience
–> decreases well-being