In general, emotion regulation is an heterogeneous set of: “Processes by which people are able to influence the nature of their emotions, the time and manner in which they experience and experience them” (Gross, 1998, p. 1).
We can make several distinctions between these processes: automatic or controlled, conscious or unconscious, having their effects at one or several points in the process of emotional emergence (see Figure 1), intrinsic (the individual regulates his own emotions) or extrinsic (the individual regulates the emotions of a third party).
In the same way that these processes have multiple characteristics, they affect several aspects of emotional responses: latency, ascent time, amplitude and duration (see Figure 1., Thompson, 1990 cited by Gross & Thompson, 2007).
Emotional regulation can be used to maintain, reduce or amplify emotion and potentially at each stage of emotional emergence, regardless of its valence, positive or negative (Gross & Thompson, 2007).
Figure 1. Main parameters of an emotional response according to Sequeira and D’Hondt, 2013
The concept of emotional regulation includes a wide range of behaviours, physiological processes and cognitions, evolving themselves along a conscious / unconscious continuum (Gross, 2001).
Finally, regulations are not just good or bad (Thompson & Calkins, 1996). They all have a myriad of costs and benefits, which vary according to the context, individuals and their objectives. In the sense that their evaluation is therefore difficult.
Figure 2: Families of emotional regulation, in relation to emotional emergence steps and emotional response according to Gross and Thompson, 2007
In Gross & Thompson’s (2007) model, the possibilities of regulation are therefore part of the steps in the emergence of emotion (situation-attention-evaluation-response, see Figure 2.).
They are also categorized into two classes: “antecedent” or focused on emotional response (see Figure 2.) (Gross, 1998). These clusters obviously do not reflect the nuances of possible regulations. In the face of a negative or unpleasant situation, the same action may fall into a different category.
For example, we can repeat ourselves mentally: “the situation could be worse”, in order to relativize and evaluate the situation in a more positive way. This action should probably be included in strategies such as cognitive re-evaluation.
But, this same mental repetition can be categorized in another type of regulation. If it is just to capture our attention, we will have to deal with a strategy of the attentional redeployment type.
Of course, the boundary between the two types of strategy is sometimes thin and a mental repetition, can meet the criteria for a cognitive reassessment but also for a attentional redeployment.
To illustrate the concept of emotional regulation, imagine a student having to go to an exam for which he or she is not prepared. This situation is seen as a source of unpleasant emotions. Our student therefore has a first choice to make: he may not face this situation by not going to the exam (situation selection).
At this stage, the individual may try to escape situations that generate a certain type of emotional response. After careful consideration, the student does not want to find himself in the situation of missing an exam, it would be even more emotionally intolerable for him… Our student is now facing his much feared exam subject, no more turning back. hi
As the student has not assimilated enough knowledge, this situation remains difficult to live with. Perhaps by looking at the neighbour’s copy, he will find the inspiration he is sorely lacking now, transforming a situation where he is not prepared, into a situation where he can pick information, on the copy next door (modification of the situation).
After the first step of situation selection, the individual may seek to modify the situation to influence the resulting emotional response.
It was at this point that he decided to transform his draft sheets into paper planes, in order to make the situation less emotionally negative. To be busy with the task in this way allows him to forget for a moment, this negative situation (attentional redeployment). After these situation-related opportunities, the individual can, during the attention stage, focus on one or another element to modulate his or her current emotional feelings.
And when you think about it, this examination is not that important to him. What does the rating mean after all? Does it really reflect his skills in this area? Failure to pass this exam should not have too many consequences, he thinks (cognitive reassessment). At this stage, the individual still has the possibility to modulate the future emotional response, using his or her cognitive abilities to mentally perceive the situation from an angle that would correspond more emotionally to him or her.
Once finished, even if he keeps a hint of bitterness, our student remains stoic and leaves nothing to show, to pass the cape as quickly as possible, thus avoiding the desolate comments of his comrades and limiting the physiological manifestations of his emotion (modulation of the emotional response) (Gross, 1998). Once the emotional response is effective, there is still the possibility for the individual to modulate the expression of his or her emotion. Although it is physiologically emitted, it is not necessarily irrepressible and can be adjusted in terms of expressiveness to better meet specific objectives (Delelis et al., 2011; Gross & Thompson, 2007).
Delelis, G., Christophe, V., Berjot, S., et Desombre, C. (2011). Stratégies de régulation émotionnelle et de coping : quels liens?. Bulletin de Psychologie, (5), 471-479. https://doi.org/10.3917/bupsy.515.0471
Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of general psychology, 2(3), 271. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271
Gross, J. J. (2001). Emotion regulation in adulthood: Timing is everything. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(6), 214-219. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.00152
Gross, J. J., et Thompson, R. A. (2007). Emotion regulation: Conceptual foundations. Repéré à http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-01392-001
Sequeira, H., et D’Hondt, F. (2013). Chapitre 6. L’activité électrodermale dans l’étude de la cognition. In Electrophysiologie de la Cognition (pp. 137-156). Dunod.
Thompson, R. A., et Calkins, S. D. (1996). The double-edged sword: Emotional regulation for children at risk. Development and Psychopathology, 8(1), 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579400007021
Words I have learned :
- Intrinsic = Intrinsèque
- Extrinsic = Extrasèque
- Regardless = Malgré que
- Obviously = évidemment
- Attentional redeployment = Redéploiement attentionnel
- Expressiveness = Expressivité