Abstract
We are frequently challenged with situations requiring the control of our emotions, often under substantial time-pressure and rapidly changing contextual demands. Coping with those demands requires the ability to flexibly and rapidly switch between different emotional control strategies. However, this ability has been largely neglected by current neurocognitive models on emotional control. Drawing on the decision-making literature, we propose that rapid switching between alternative emotional control strategies requires the concurrent evaluation of unchosen (counterfactual) options. This model explains how an individual can adaptively change emotional control behavior to meet contextual demands and shifting goals. We propose that the neural implementation of this emotional control mechanism relies on the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC/lateral frontal pole), given its known role in monitoring alternative options during cognitive decision-making tasks. We reappraise meta-analytic evidence showing consistent aPFC involvement during emotional control when monitoring of alternative emotional control strategies is required, and when alternative emotional actions have high value. We conclude with emphasizing the clinical and evolutionary implications of this new framework on emotional control.
Highlights
We are frequently challenged with complex, ever-changing situations requiring the dynamic control of our emotions
Regulatory flexibility has been associated with stress resilience in primary responders: repeated trauma exposure was associated with increased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity in fire fighters with low regulatory ability, but not in those with high regulatory flexibility (Levy-Gigi et al, 2016)
We extended the current neurocognitive account of emotional control by incorporating the ability to flexibly switch between different emotional control strategies, which is needed for optimal emotional control in unfamiliar and rapidly changing environments
Summary
We are frequently challenged with complex, ever-changing situations requiring the dynamic control of our emotions. Adaptive emotional control requires the ability to flexibly switch between different emotion control strategies, especially in unfamiliar and rapidly changing situations when the best course of action is uncertain (Bonanno and Burton, 2013; Levy-Gigi et al, 2016; Sheppes et al, 2014, 2011; Sheppes and Levin, 2013). This ability has remained largely neglected in current neurocognitive models on emotional control (Etkin et al, 2015; Morawetz et al, 2017). We consider the neural implementation of this emotional control model, for which we provide theoretical and meta-analytic evidence, and conclude with discussing its clinical and evolutionary implications
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