Mnemonic mechanisms of emotion regulation: the role of retrieval perspective in managing anger and shame

Organizational behavior scholars have long recognized the importance of a variety of emotion-related phenomena in everyday work life. Indeed, after three decades, the span of research on emotions in the workplace encompasses a wide variety of affective variables such as emotional climate, emotional labor, emotion regulation, positive and negative affect, empathy, and more recently, specific emotions. Emotions operate in complex ways across multiple levels of analysis (i.e., within-person, between-person, interpersonal, group, and organizational) to exert influence on work behavior and outcomes, but their linkages to human resource management (HRM) policies and practices have not always been explicit or well understood. This chapter offers a review and integration of the bourgeoning research on discrete positive and negative emotions, offering insights about why these emotions are relevant to HRM policies and practices. We review some of the dominant theories that have emerged out of functionalist perspectives on emotions, connecting these to a strategic HRM framework. We then define and describe four discrete positive and negative emotions (fear, pride, guilt, and interest) highlighting how they relate to five HRM practices: (1) selection, (2) training/learning, (3) performance management, (4) incentives/rewards, and (5) employee voice. Following this, we discuss the emotion perception and regulation implications of these and other discrete emotions for leaders and HRM managers. We conclude with some challenges associated with understanding discrete emotions in organizations as well as some opportunities and future directions for improving our appreciation and understanding of the role of discrete emotional experiences in HRM.

Background Several studies have shown that the retrieval of positive memories may play a role in emotional regulation. However, it is unclear whether the effects of neutral and positive autobiographical memories differ. There is a need to confirm that genuinely neutral autobiographical memories can be retrieved without bias in response to a prompt to recall neutral memories. Methods In this pilot study, using “home” and “study” as cue words, we investigated whether participants were able to retrieve appropriate autobiographical memories when asked to recall a limited number of neutral or positive memories. Results Although participants were asked to recall neutral autobiographical memories, they tended to recall positive memories. Conclusions Our results support the concept of positive memory bias and suggest that future work should consider combining neutral and positive autobiographical memories, namely by asking participants to recall neutral–positive memories.

Background Several studies have shown that the retrieval of positive memories may play a role in emotional regulation. However, it is unclear whether the effects of neutral and positive autobiographical memories differ. It is necessary to confirm whether genuinely neutral autobiographical memories can be retrieved without bias when prompted to recall neutral memories. Methods In this pilot study, using “home” and “study” as cue words, we investigated whether participants were able to retrieve appropriate autobiographical memories when asked to recall a limited number of neutral or positive memories. Results Although participants were asked to recall neutral autobiographical memories, they tended to recall positive memories. Conclusions Our results support the concept of positive memory bias and suggest that future work should consider combining neutral and positive autobiographical memories by asking participants to recall neutral–positive memories.

Individuals with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) report difficulties engaging with positive autobiographical memories. Extending this line of research, we examined daily-level concurrent and lagged associations between PTSS severity and positive memory characteristics (vividness, coherence, accessibility, time perspective, sensory details, visual perspective, emotional intensity, sharing, distancing, and valence). The sample included 88 trauma survivors (Mage = 39.89 years, 59.1% female) who completed seven daily measures of PTSS and positive memory characteristics. Multilevel models examined concurrent and lagged associations between PTSS severity and positive memory characteristics. The results indicated that days with higher PTSS severity were associated with less accessibility, β = -.21, p <.001; less visual perspective, β = -0.13, p =.034; and lower positive valence of the memory, β = -.19, p =.003, as well as more emotional intensity associated with, β =.13, p =.041, and more distancing from, β =.21, p <.001, the memory. Supplemental lagged analyses indicated that higher previous-day PTSS severity was associated with more next-day distancing from, β =.15, p =.042, and sensory details of, β =.17, p =.016, the memory. Findings suggest that individuals with more severe PTSS have difficulties accessing positively valenced memories from a first-person perspective, are more distant from the recalled positive memory, and report more emotional intensity when retrieving the memory. Thus, improving access to and reducing distance from positive autobiographical memories, as well as addressing emotional intensity surrounding the retrieval of these memories, may be potential clinical targets for PTSS interventions.

Neural correlates of regulation of positive and negative emotions: An fMRI study

Emotion regulation, a key component of healthy development, has been shown to be deficient in several psychiatric conditions, including conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is a neuropsychiatric disorder of childhood and adolescence characterized by severe aggressive behavior and violation of societal norms. It is highly prevalent and results in substantial economic costs and negative social consequences. Neuroimaging evidence has revealed brain activity alterations in several regions, including prefrontal, temporal, and limbic cortex (amygdala, insula, and cingulate gyrus). While the neuronal basis of emotion processing in conduct disorder has been intensely investigated, the brain correlates of implicit and explicit emotion regulation remain unclear. The main aim of this dissertation was to extend current knowledge by investigating the neuronal mechanisms of emotion regulation in children and adolescents with conduct disorder. First, we conducted a meta-analysis in order to identify the neuronal correlates of emotion processing in adolescents with aggressive behavior. We then developed an affective Stroop task designed to investigate the interplay between emotion and cognition in a paediatric population, and validated it in healthy young adults. We then employed the task to study the neuronal characteristics of implicit emotion-cognition interaction in children and adolescents with conduct disorder. Finally, we investigated explicit emotion regulation by cognitive reappraisal (i.e., reinterpretation of the meaning of an emotional stimulus) in conduct disorder. We here present findings on altered brain function during tasks assessing implicit and explicit emotion regulation in adolescents with conduct disorder that are in agreement with behaviorally observed deficits. Our meta-analysis on emotion processing in conduct disorder summarized previous literature indicating prefrontal and limbic brain structure and function alterations. The results from our study employing the affective Stroop task in healthy adults validated the usefulness of our task design and replicated previous findings suggesting that emotion significantly impacts cognition on a behavioral and neuronal level. Using the affective Stroop and cognitive reappraisal tasks in adolescents with conduct disorder revealed neuronal alterations within prefrontal and limbic regions, brain areas implicated in both emotion and cognition. Overall, the results of this dissertation provide novel evidence on the neuronal basis of emotion regulation deficits in conduct disorder. Future studies shall further investigate emotion regulation in specific subgroups of conduct disorder, for example those with psychopathic traits or high levels of anxiety with the ultimate goal of influencing the child’s immediate environment and society as a whole.

GENERAL COMMENTARY article Front. Psychol., 31 March 2016Sec. Emotion Science Volume 7 - 2016 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00476

Nursing, marked by its demanding nature, often exposes professionals to elevated stress levels and emotional hurdles. Recognizing the determinants shaping nurses' stress, emotional regulation, and coping mechanisms is imperative for fostering their welfare and maintaining superior patient care standards. This study aimed to explore the correlation between socio-demographic and work-related factors and nurses' perceived stress, emotional regulation, and coping mechanisms. A cross-sectional study encompassing 200 nurses in Nigeria was conducted. Participants completed questionnaires evaluating socio-demographic details, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and Coping Mechanism Scale. Statistical analyses, comprising t-tests and ANOVA, were employed to scrutinize variable associations. Participants exhibited a mean score of 27.1 (±3.7) (out of 40) on the PSS, indicating heightened stress levels. Notably, cognitive reappraisal scored 32.2 (±5.2) (out of 42) on the ERQ, while expressive suppression scored 23.4 (±3.8) (out of 28), with a total ERQ score averaging 55.5 (±9.8) (out of 70), indicating moderate emotion regulation. Furthermore, participants scored 78.1 (±10.7) (out of 112) on the Coping Mechanism Scale, suggesting frequent utilization of coping strategies. While gender, age, religion, and employment status showed no significant correlations with stress levels, factors such as educational attainment, number of children, years of experience, department worked in, job position, and work environment satisfaction displayed noteworthy relationships. Various socio-demographic and work-related factors, including the number of children, years of experience, department worked in, and job position, demonstrated significant relationships with nurses' emotional experiences and coping strategies. The study underscores the intricate interplay between socio-demographic and work-related factors in shaping nurses' stress, emotional regulation, and coping mechanisms. Interventions tailored to address these factors and cultivate supportive work environments are vital for safeguarding nurses' well-being and upholding exceptional patient care standards.

IntroductionAdaptive and successful emotion regulation, the ability to flexibly exert voluntary control over emotional experience and the ensuing behavior, is vital for optimal daily functioning and good mental health. In clinical settings, pharmacological and psychological interventions are widely employed to modify pathological emotion processing and ameliorate its deleterious consequences.MethodsIn this study, we investigated the acute effects of single-dose escitalopram on the induction and regulation of fear and disgust in healthy subjects. Furthermore, we compared these pharmacological effects with psychological emotion regulation that utilized a cognitive strategy with reappraisal. Emotion induction and regulation tasks were performed before and 4 h after ingestion of placebo or 10 mg escitalopram in a randomized, double-blind design. The International Affective Picture System (IAPS) was used as a source of images, with threat-related pictures selected for fear and disease and contamination-related pictures for disgust. Behavioral data, electrodermal activity (EDA), and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recordings were collected.ResultsEscitalopram significantly reduced emotion intensity for both fear and disgust during emotion induction, albeit with differing electrodermal and hemodynamic activity patterns for the two negative emotions. At rest, i.e., in the absence of emotive stimuli, escitalopram increased sympathetic activity during the fear but not during the disgust experiments. For both fear and disgust, emotion regulation with reappraisal was more effective in reducing emotion intensity compared to pharmacological intervention with escitalopram or placebo.DiscussionWe concluded that emotion regulation with reappraisal and acute administration of escitalopram, but not placebo, reduce emotion intensity for both fear and disgust, with cognitive regulation being significantly more efficient compared to pharmacological regulation under the conditions of this study. Results from the fNIRS and EDA recordings support the concept of differential mechanisms of emotion regulation that could be emotion-specific.

The ability to perceive and regulate our emotions appropriately is essential for social behavior. Our subjective emotional states to changing external cues are accompanied by physiological changes in heart rate variability (HRV), which is regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous systems (ANS). In this pilot study, we sought to elucidate the autonomic basis of emotional reactivity and regulation in response to ecologically-valid emotional stimuli—presented in the form of filmclips—in healthy subjects. Subjects watched a series of videos, validated to elicit feelings of amusement, sexual amusement, sadness, fear, and disgust. Subjects were also asked to regulate the outward expression of their response to disgust by suppressing or amplifying it when instructed. Electrodes placed on the torso measured cardiac and respiratory signals, which were processed to compute HRV, which when analyzed with the concurrent respiratory signal calculates measures of parasympathetic activity (RFA, Respiratory Frequency Area, from higher frequencies) and sympathetic activity (LFA, Low Frequency Area, from lower frequencies). Fluctuations in LFA and RFA were computed by the coefficient of variation, and the intensity of the emotional response to the film-clips was captured via questionnaires. Our results suggest that in healthy individuals, higher intensities of subjective emotional experience, both positive (e.g., amusement) and negative (e.g., amplified disgust) elicit higher LFA (sympathetic) responses, whereas emotional regulation is mediated primarily by fluctuations in RFA (parasympathetic) activity. Furthermore, correlations between emotional intensity and components of HRV suggest that higher positive or lower negative emotional states may increase the capacity for emotional regulation via modulation of the parasympathetic component. Our results suggest that a sense of humor might facilitate emotional control.

Outcome-guided behavior requires knowledge about the current value of expected outcomes. Such behavior can be isolated in the reinforcer devaluation task, which assesses the ability to infer the current value of specific rewards after devaluation. Animal lesion studies demonstrate that orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is necessary for normal behavior in this task, but a causal role for human OFC in outcome-guided behavior has not been established. Here, we used sham-controlled, non-invasive, continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) to temporarily disrupt human OFC network activity by stimulating a site in the lateral prefrontal cortex that is strongly connected to OFC prior to devaluation of food odor rewards. Subjects in the sham group appropriately avoided Pavlovian cues associated with devalued food odors. However, subjects in the stimulation group persistently chose those cues, even though devaluation of food odors themselves was unaffected by cTBS. This behavioral impairment was mirrored in changes in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) activity such that subjects in the stimulation group exhibited reduced OFC network connectivity after cTBS, and the magnitude of this reduction was correlated with choices after devaluation. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of indirectly targeting the human OFC with non-invasive cTBS and indicate that OFC is specifically required for inferring the value of expected outcomes.

Navigating our social environment requires the ability to distinguish ourselves from others. Previous research suggests that training interventions have the potential to enhance the capacity for self-other distinction (SOD), which then may impact various sociocognitive domains, including imitation-inhibition, visual perspective taking, and empathy. Importantly, empirical research on the role of SOD in emotion regulation remains scarce. In this study, we aim to investigate the impact of training SOD on emotion regulation and also replicate findings on empathy and the attribution of mental states to others. Using a pre-post design, participants (N = 104) were assigned to either the imitation-inhibition or general inhibitory control training. Compared to general inhibitory control training, participants trained to inhibit imitation displayed a significant increase in posttest emotion regulation levels compared to pretest levels, indicating that imitation-inhibition training increased self-reported emotion regulation. Notably, emotional interference remained unaffected by either form of training. Both training interventions resulted in diminished self-reported empathic concern, while only general inhibitory control training led to a reduction in personal distress. Moreover, neither type of training had an impact on self-reported perspective taking or theory of mind performance. This study provides novel empirical evidence of the positive impact of imitation-inhibition training on emotion regulation. Furthermore, our findings make significant contributions to the advancement of research in this area and offer further support for the advantages of behavioral training as a methodological approach to studying sociocognitive abilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Social anxiety disorder is thought to involve emotional hyperreactivity, cognitive distortions, and ineffective emotion regulation. While the neural bases of emotional reactivity to social stimuli have been described, the neural bases of emotional reactivity and cognitive regulation during social and physical threat, and their relationship to social anxiety symptom severity, have yet to be investigated. To investigate behavioral and neural correlates of emotional reactivity and cognitive regulation in patients and controls during processing of social and physical threat stimuli. Participants were trained to implement cognitive-linguistic regulation of emotional reactivity induced by social (harsh facial expressions) and physical (violent scenes) threat while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and providing behavioral ratings of negative emotion experience. Academic psychology department. Fifteen adults with social anxiety disorder and 17 demographically matched healthy controls. Blood oxygen level-dependent signal and negative emotion ratings. Behaviorally, patients reported greater negative emotion than controls during social and physical threat but showed equivalent reduction in negative emotion following cognitive regulation. Neurally, viewing social threat resulted in greater emotion-related neural responses in patients than controls, with social anxiety symptom severity related to activity in a network of emotion- and attention-processing regions in patients only. Viewing physical threat produced no between-group differences. Regulation during social threat resulted in greater cognitive and attention regulation-related brain activation in controls compared with patients. Regulation during physical threat produced greater cognitive control-related response (ie, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) in patients compared with controls. Compared with controls, patients demonstrated exaggerated negative emotion reactivity and reduced cognitive regulation-related neural activation, specifically for social threat stimuli. These findings help to elucidate potential neural mechanisms of emotion regulation that might serve as biomarkers for interventions for social anxiety disorder.

Field perspective deficit for positive memories characterizes autobiographical memory in euthymic depressed patients

Early family relationships have been suggested to influence the development of children’s affect regulation, involving both emotion regulation and defense mechanisms. However, we lack research on the specific family predictors for these two forms of affect regulation, which have been conceptualized to differ in their functions and accessibility to consciousness. Accordingly, we examine how the (a) quality and (b) timing of family relationships during infancy predict child’s later emotion regulation and defense mechanisms. Parents ( N = 703) reported autonomy and intimacy in marital and parenting relationships at the child’s ages of 2 and 12 months, and the child’s use of emotion regulation and immature and neurotic defenses at 7 to 8 years. As hypothesized, the results showed that functional early family relationships predicted children’s efficient emotion regulation, whereas dysfunctional relationships predicted reliance on defense mechanisms in middle childhood. Further, results showed a timing effect for neurotic defenses, partially confirming our hypothesis of early infancy being an especially important period for the development of defense mechanisms. The findings are discussed from the viewpoints of attachment and family dynamics, emotional self-awareness, and sense of security.