Motivation and emotion/Book/2015/Suppression of benevolent emotion/Appendices 1aa

Current contemporary theories suggest emotions are evaluations of internal or external cues that have relevance for an individual, and when interpreted by the individual give off response tendencies (Izard, 2010). However when these response tendencies occur, humans don't have the ability to stop them, rather regulate them through |emotional regulation strategies. Emotional regulation strategies are suggested to be how we try and influence our emotions, through how we experience and express them. Gross (1998) suggests emotional regulation is how we control our feelings, physiological responses, urges and the way we communicate that we are having those emotions. Figure 1 depicts how Gross (1998) understood this process, and how there are five points at which an emotional situation strategy can be implemented to regulate an emotion.

Emotional Regulation Process Model
This process model suggests an emotion begins with a situation, once the emotion starts there is usually some degree of management of that emotion. The person will either direct their attention away from or towards the situation. The situations that are shown attention are then appraised, interpreted and reappraised. Finally, a coping response follows. The Model by Gross suggests that at any one of these points, emotional regulation strategies can be put in place. Take a look at the example below giving a real life example, showing the various points in which emotional regulation strategies can be used.

Examples: You start internet dating and some 'gorgeous' looking man asks you out on date to the movies. Firstly you have signed onto internet dating so you should be prepared for the possibility of being asked out on a date, however, you have the choice to accept the offer or decline. If you accept, then you may try modify the situation, ask to go at later time, meet at his house/your house/the movies. During this planning you will appraise whether this man is suitable and what is possibly at stake. Then when you finally arrive at the movie date, the model would suggest you will display coping strategies like, thanking them for asking you on the date, an assessing whether this person will be suitable for a long term relationship.

The above example depicts how there are various stages at which emotional regulation strategies can be implemented.

Refence

Izard, C. E. (2010). The many meanings/aspects of emotion: Definitions, functions, activations, and regulation.  Emotions Review , 2, 363-370.