Emotions 2: Regulation Flashcards
What is emotion regulation?
managing which emotions we experience, when they occur, and how intensely we feel and express them
This can involve increasing and decreasing both positive and negative emotions.
What is situation selection? When does it work?
The earliest opportunity to regulate emotions by deciding to approach or avoid situations that might trigger certain feelings
Involves trade-offs between short term emotional relief and long term cost
Seeking out pleasant experiences and avoiding stressors can be condusive to well-being but habitual avoidance predicts more life stressors, more depressice symptoms. and worse health outcomes
What is situation modification? When does it work?
altering aspects of a situation to regulate our emotions
People who frequently use coping strategies tend to have better physical helath and psychological well-being
Simply believing you have control can have positive outcomes
What is attentional focus? When does it work?
Focusing on certain aspects of a situation while ignoring others.
Takes energy and cognitive resources, so doesn’t work when fatigued or depleted. Suppressing unwanted thoughts can backfire (‘white bear effect’)
Not good for long-term well-being, as it could undermine problem-solving
What is cognitive reappraisal?
Regulating emotions by reinterpreting the meaning of a situation
Reduces emotional distress in lab studies
Linked to higher life satisfaction, more positive emotions, and lower depression risk in daily life
Reappraisal modifies emotional reactions but does not change the situation itself. Can be harmful to rely on if action needs to be taken.
What are response-focused strategies to emotion regulation? Are they effective?
Strategies that aim to modify emotions after they’ve already started: Emotion suppression, catharsis, and rumination
Emotion suppression may be beneficial sometimes but drains cognitive resources.
Catharsis is generally ineffective unless it leads to social support.
Rumination is linked to higher risks of depression and anxiety, doesn’t actually solve any problems.
What is an alternative to rumination?
Brief, structured reflection (like journaling) helps promote understanding and meaning-making
What is the difference between emotion suppression and reappraisal?
Suppression does NOT reduce negative emotions, it increases physical stress. It introduces cognitive load, worsens memory, and may undermine relationships
There are cultural differences: Asian Americans show fewer negative effects from Suppression than European Americans
What is savouring? What are the different forms?
Actively attending to, appreciating, and extending positive experiences
It is associated with greater happiness, life satisfaction, positive emotionality and emotional resilience.
Anticipatory: enjoying an event before it happens
In-the-moment: fully immersing in the experience as it happens
Reminiscent: reliving positive memories after the fact
What is social capitalization?
sharing positive events with others to amplify positive emotion
Four types of responses:
Active -constructive: enthusiastic and supportive
Passive-constrcutive: quietly positive but low energy
Active-destructive: critical or undermining
Passive-destructive:ignores or changes the subject
Only active constructive responses reliably boost relationship satisfaction and strengthen bond
What is the primary root cause of procrastination?
An emotion regulation problem!! Acts as a form of short-term mood repair.
Leads to a vicious cycle of avoidance → relief → tasks accumulate → more stress → avoidance
Improving emotion regulation skills can reduce procrastination:
Cognitive reappraisal
Mindfulness
Self-compassion
What thinking: focusing on the concrete, specific details of the task
Why thinking: focusing on teh big-picture reasons for doung the tasks
