scholarly journals Choosing between emotion regulation strategies to appear cool, calm, and collected: Does emotional stimulus intensity matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-71
Author(s):  
Dorota Szczygieł ◽  
Wiesław Baryła

The present study examined the effect of negative emotional stimulus intensity (low versus high) on the choice of emotion regulation (ER) strategy when a person wants to control their emotional expression, and the impact of this choice on how the information accompanying emotional stimuli is remembered. The effects of emotional stimulus intensity on the choice of ER strategy were examined in two studies. In both studies, the participants (unaware of the differences in the intensity of stimuli) were asked to view images inducing negative emotions of high and low intensity and to choose which strategy (cognitive reappraisal or expressive suppression) they would use in order to control their emotional expression. In addition, in Study 2, the authors tested the memory of the verbal content accompanying the emotional stimuli that appeared during the ER period. As expected, the participants chose reappraisal over suppression when confronted with low-intensity stimuli. In contrast, when confronted with high-intensity stimuli, they chose suppression over reappraisal. The results of Study 2 revealed that memory accuracy was higher for those images that the participants chose to use reappraisal rather than suppression.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katya Fernandez ◽  
◽  
Cathleen Clerkin

"This study explored whether leaders’ thought patterns (specifically cognitive distortions) and emotion regulation strategies (specifically cognitive reappraisal, cognitive defusion, and expressive suppression) relate to their work experiences. Findings suggest that leaders’ cognitive distortions are related to their work experiences and that emotion regulation strategies can help leaders mitigate the effects of cognitive distortions. More specifically, the results of this study offer the following insights: • Leaders’ cognitive distortions related to all examined workplace topics (role ambiguity, role conflict, social support, perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and burnout). • Leaders’ use of emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and cognitive defusion) mitigated the impact their cognitive distortions had on burnout, specifically. • Attempting to suppress emotional responses was relatively ineffective compared to the other two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and cognitive defusion). These insights suggest that certain emotion regulation strategies may be helpful in ameliorating the deleterious effects of cognitive distortions on leaders’ burnout. The current paper provides an overview of the different cognitive distortions and emotion regulation strategies explored and includes advice on what leaders can do to more effectively notice and manage cognitive distortions that emerge during distressing situations. "


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Bahl ◽  
Allison Ouimet

Background and Objectives. Response-focused emotion regulation (RF-ER) strategies may alter people’s evoked emotions, influencing psychophysiology, memory accuracy, and affect. Researchers have found that participants engaging in expressive suppression (ES; a RF-ER strategy) experience increased sympathetic nervous system arousal, affect (i.e., higher subjective anxiety and negative emotion), and lowered memory accuracy. It is unclear, however, whether all RF-ER strategies exert maladaptive effects. Expressive dissonance (ED; displaying an expression opposite from how one feels) is a RF-ER strategy, and thus likely considered “maladaptive”. As outlined by the facial feedback hypothesis, however, smiling may increase positive emotion, suggesting it may be an adaptive strategy. We compared the effects of ED and ES to a control condition on psychophysiology, memory accuracy, and affect, to assess whether ED is an adaptive RF-ER strategy, relative to ES. Methods. We randomly assigned 144 female participants to engage in ED, ES, or to naturally observe, while viewing negative and arousing images. We recorded electrodermal activity and self-reported affect throughout the experiment and participants completed memory tasks. Results. There were no differences between groups across outcomes. Conclusion. Engaging in ES or ED may not lead to negative or positive impacts, shedding doubt on the common conclusion that specific strategies are categorically adaptive or maladaptive.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tierney P. McMahon ◽  
Kristin Naragon-Gainey

Existing structural analyses of emotion-regulation (ER) strategies have relied on retrospective, dispositional assessments, ignoring the within-person structure (i.e., intraindividual strategy groupings based on momentary covariances) and variability in strategy use across time and contexts. We conducted multilevel exploratory factor analyses on self-reported daily use of 11 strategies (i.e., acceptance, behavioral avoidance, distraction, experiential avoidance, expressive suppression, procrastination, reappraisal, reflection, rumination, savoring, social support) in clinical ( N = 129) and student ( N = 109) samples with intensive longitudinal designs. At the between-person level, two factors—Engagement and Avoidance—emerged in both samples. A different structure was found at the within-person level, with four factors in the student sample (i.e., Attentional Shift, Acceptance, Avoidance, Emotional Expression) and three in the clinical sample (i.e., Attentional Shift, Avoidance, Emotional Expression). The validity of these factors was examined via their associations with daily internalizing symptoms and affect. Implications for naturalistic ER strategy use and clinical assessment/intervention are discussed.


Author(s):  
Laura Antonia Lucia Parolin ◽  
Ilaria Maria Antonietta Benzi ◽  
Erika Fanti ◽  
Alberto Milesi ◽  
Pietro Cipresso ◽  
...  

The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted individuals’ psychological wellbeing resulting in heightened perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. However, a significant issue in accessing psychological care during a lockdown is the lack of access to in-person interventions. In this regard, research has shown the efficacy and utility of psychological app-based interventions. ‘Italia Ti Ascolto’ (ITA) has been developed as a population tailored internet-based intervention to offer an online professional solution for psychological support needs. The ITA app is available on iOS and Android systems. Users completed a baseline assessment on emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), psychological stress, anxiety, depression, and perceived social support. Participants could select among several one-hour long clinical groups held by expert psychotherapists. After every session, people were asked to complete a quick users’ satisfaction survey. Our contribution presents ITA’s intervention protocol and discusses preliminary data on psychological variables collected at baseline. Data showed significant associations between emotion regulation strategies, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and level of stress. Moreover, the role of perceived social support is considered. Future developments and implications for clinical practice and treatment are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Thuillard ◽  
Elise S. Dan-Glauser

Abstract Background Emotion regulation alters the trajectories of emotional responses and, when effective, transforms the emotional responses to help individuals adapt to their environment. Previous research has mainly focused on the efficiency of regulation strategies performed individually at a given time. Yet, in daily life, it is likely that several strategies are often combined. Thus, we question in this study the combinatorial efficiency of two emotion regulation strategies, Situation selection and Emotional suppression. Methods In a within-subject design, sixty-five participants were asked to implement either no strategy, Situation selection only, Emotional suppression only, or both strategies together (four conditions) while looking at various emotionally charged images. Experience, expressivity, and physiological arousal were recorded throughout the viewing. Repeated-measures ANOVAs and corrected post-hoc tests were used for analyzing the data. Results The results of the combined strategies showed that Emotional suppression canceled the beneficial impact of Situation selection on negative experience, while significantly increasing the impact on cardiac activity. The use of both strategies together had a greater effect on respiratory function with an enhanced decrease in respiratory rate and amplitude. Conclusions The combinatorial effect of emotion regulation strategies is different according to the emotional response that the individual needs to regulate. The simultaneous use of Situation selection and Emotional suppression could be particularly beneficial to relieve physiological symptoms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Gilbert ◽  
Susan Mineka ◽  
Richard E. Zinbarg ◽  
Michelle G. Craske ◽  
Emma K. Adam

Maladaptive emotion regulation and dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning are characteristic of depression and anxiety. However, little research examines whether and how emotion regulation affects HPA axis functioning. We utilized an experience sampling methodology to examine associations between three emotion regulation strategies (problem solving, disengagement, and emotional expression/support seeking) and diurnal cortisol rhythms and reactivity in everyday life. Participants were young adults with current, past, or no history of internalizing disorders (depression or anxiety; N = 182). Across participants, problem solving was associated with an elevated cortisol awakening response (CAR), whereas disengagement was associated with a steeper cortisol slope. Only for individuals with internalizing disorders was momentary problem solving and emotional expression/support seeking associated with higher cortisol reactivity and emotional expression/support seeking associated with a flatter diurnal slope and blunted CAR. Results provide insight into associations between emotion regulation and day-to-day HPA axis functioning.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalina Morales-Murillo ◽  
Pau García-Grau ◽  
Rosa Fernández-Valero

Child interactions with the environment (adults, peers, materials) constitute the engine for development and learning, especially in early stages of development. Emotionally secure, responsive, and contingent interactions with adults and peers promote emotional, cognitive, and social development. Interpersonal interactions facilitate the acquisition of social skills and emotion regulation strategies, which are learned through the observation of the behaviors of adults and peers and through the direct interactions with them. This chapter presents the theoretical foundations for considering interpersonal relations as engines of development, and synthetizes the latest results on the impact of interpersonal relationships on the development of children in natural environments (school, home, and the community).


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Zhao ◽  
Zongmei Fu ◽  
Xi Lian ◽  
Linning Ye ◽  
Wei Huang

Maintaining the emotional well-being of learners during a pandemic is important. This study explored the effects of two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression) and perceived control on full remote learners' anxiety during Covid-19, and their relationship to perceived learning. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze 239 questionnaires completed by Chinese graduate students taking a course remotely from home for 13 weeks. This study showed that reappraisal was positively related to perceived control, whereas suppression was negatively related to perceived control. Reappraisers perceived more learning, whereas suppressors experienced more anxiety. Anxiety was significantly and negatively related to perceived learning. Mediation analyses showed the existence of different patterns of mediation in the pathways from the two types of emotion regulation to perceived learning. These findings are discussed in relation to relevant studies conducted during non-pandemic periods and Covid-19, and based on the results we highlight the need for interventions aimed at developing adaptive emotion regulation strategies and reducing anxiety in emergency remote learning.


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