Extraversion and the consequences of social interaction on affect repair

Abstract

This study explores the interaction of extraversion and social interaction on affect repair. Following a negative affect induction, participants engaged in a neutral discussion task alone or in the presence of a pleasant and supportive confederate. Results reveal that extraversion predicted affect repair in the solitary condition with extraverts (vs. introverts) experiencing a greater enhancement of positive affect. In the social condition, extraversion did not predict repair; all individuals benefited from the interaction. Thus, when alone, introverts demonstrated a maladaptive affect repair profile that was abated in the presence of a supportive individual. Other results reveal that the social condition produced the largest affect repair. These findings suggest that, while extraverts exhibit more effective affect repair when alone, pleasant interaction facilitates affect repair for all individuals (even introverts).