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Effective regulation of affect: an action control perspective on emotion regulation

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 15:22 authored by Thomas L Webb, Inge Schweiger Gallo, Eleanor MilesEleanor Miles, Peter M Gollwitzer, Paschal Sheeran
The present review adopts an action control perspective on emotion regulation, contextualising the gap between emotion control goals (e.g., I want to remain calm) and emotional outcomes (e.g., anger, anxiety, and aggression) in terms of the broader literature on goal pursuit. We propose that failure to effectively regulate emotions can result from difficulties with the self-regulatory tasks of (i) identifying the need to regulate, (ii) deciding whether and how to regulate, and (iii) enacting a regulation strategy. Next we review evidence that a technique traditionally associated with regulating behavioural goals (forming implementation intentions or “if-then” planning) can help to overcome these difficulties. Meta-analysis indicated that forming implementation intentions is effective in modifying emotional outcomes, with a large effect relative to no regulation instructions (k = 21, N = 1306 d + = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.61 to 1.20) and a medium-sized effect relative to goal intention instructions (k = 29, N = 1208, d + = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.42 to 0.65). Our conclusion is that research on emotion regulation might benefit from an action control perspective and the interventions that this perspective offers.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

European Review of Social Psychology

ISSN

1046-3283

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

1

Volume

23

Page range

143-186

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-07-10

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2013-07-10

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