Emotion Regulation

“Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not within everybody's power, that is not easy.”

- Aristotle

If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to the thing itself, but to your estimate of ityour estimate of it; and this you have ; and this you have the the power to revokepower to revoke at any moment. – Marcus Aurelius at any moment. – Marcus Aurelius

There is nothing either good or bad but There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it thinking makes it soso. .

– – Bill ShakespeareBill Shakespeare

Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see themway we see them. – Leo Tolstoy. – Leo Tolstoy

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within mewithin me an invincible summer. – Albert Camus an invincible summer. – Albert Camus

If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to the thing itself, but to your estimate of ityour estimate of it; and this you have ; and this you have the the power to revokepower to revoke at any moment at any moment

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There is nothing either good or bad but There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it sothinking makes it so..

…”…”voodoo death” may be real, and it may be explained voodoo death” may be real, and it may be explained as due to shocking emotional stress…as due to shocking emotional stress…

Overview

I. Intro to Emotions in Brain

II. Definition of Emotion Regulation

III. Regulation processes

IV. Suppression

V. Focusing on feelings

VI.VI. Relationship between Social Cognition and Relationship between Social Cognition and EmotionEmotion

Emotions in Brain, Briefly

Frontal Lobes

The story of Phineas Gage emotional, frequent outbursts of anger, rage,

couldn’t inhibit inappropriate behavior

Frontal Lobotomies

1930s: Egaz Moniz begins frontal lobotomies in humans (and eventually wins Nobel Prize)

1950s: psychosurgery in vogue; 40,000 frontal lobotomies in North America

no outward signs of emotion no facial expression no feelings toward other people felt empty, zombie-like lose prosody = emotional component of speech

orbitofrontal cortex

Orbitofrontal patients show flat skin conductance to disturbing stimuli

SCR: skin conductance response; measures sweat gland activity; indicator of arousal

Orbitofrontal cortex - emotional decision making

Gambling TaskPile A: gain more, lose morePile B: gain less, lose less

Speech Task

Stern fellows

To induce a stress response, participants were asked to prepare speeches on 2 random topics. Prior to entering the scanner, they were given bios and background information on the panelists, to convince them of the seriousness of giving the speeches

HR

SCR

Rating

Regions correlated with a measure = pos. corr. = neg. corr.

Speech Task

Amygdala

Insula

Amygdala and Insula - Negative Emotions

Disgust

Fear

Definition of Emotion Regulation

What is Emotion Regulation?

Definition

People regulate their emotions when they influence:

-Which emotions they have

-When they have emotions

-How they experience emotions

-How they express emotions

Regulation Processes

How do we regulate our emotions?

Emotion Regulation: 5 Ways

1. Selection of the situation

2. Modification of the situation

3. Deployment of attention

4. Change of cognitions

5. Modulation of responses

Situation SelectionApproaching or avoiding certain people, places or objects; choose environments to control range of contextual event

Examples

-Seeing a movie to vent feelings

-Seeking out a friend to have a good cry

-Treatment for drug addiction

Contextual Event

EMOTION

Observable Response

Situation ModificationModify or change a situation to alter its emotional impact; change an aspect of the contextual event

Examples

-Can’t make meeting; reschedule phone meeting

-Not succeeding in grad program, then switch to another

Contextual Event

EMOTION

Observable Response

Attention DeploymentControl focus of attention on the contextual event to reduce or enhance emotion

Examples-Distraction: focus attention

on non-emotional aspects of situation or from the situation altogether

-Concentration: absorb cognitive capacity or focus on emotion cues

-Rumination: direct attention to feelings and their consequences

Contextual Event

EMOTION

Observable Response

Cognitive ChangeReappraisal of event, cognitively change the emotional meaning of the event

Examples

-Reframe event

-Re-appraise meaning

-Turning tragedy into triumph

Contextual Event

EMOTION

Observable Response

Role of Cognition in Emotion

If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to to your estimate of ityour estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Stimulus/Stimulus/EventEvent

AppraiseAppraise SignificanceSignificance

EmotionalEmotional ResponseResponse

Stimulus/Stimulus/EventEvent

Re-AppraiseRe-Appraise SignificanceSignificance

AlteredAltered ResponseResponse

Role of Cognition in Emotion

If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to to your estimate of ityour estimate of it; and this you have the ; and this you have the power to revokepower to revoke at any moment. at any moment.

Think about image in way that Think about image in way that makes you feel less negative….makes you feel less negative….

Look Neg >> Look Neu

Reappraise Neg >> Look Neg

““He’s in pain, suffering, hospital, may die soon….”….”

Think about image as you would Think about image as you would naturally, don’t try to alter your naturally, don’t try to alter your experience… experience…

““Receiving treatment, is hearty, will be right as rain….”….”

Typical Design for Studying Typical Design for Studying Re-appraisalRe-appraisal

Instructional Instructional cuecue

2 secs2 secs 8 secs8 secs

Stimulus Stimulus periodperiod

Affect Affect ratingrating

Inter-trial Inter-trial intervalinterval

2 secs2 secs 4-10 secs4-10 secs

RELAXRELAX

Strength ofStrength ofAffectAffectREAPPRAISE

orLOOK weak strong

1 2 3 4 5

Reappraisal significantly decreases Reappraisal significantly decreases negative affectnegative affect

LookLook ReappReapp LookLook

00

11

22

33

44

55

66

77

Str

engt

h of

Neg

a ti v

e A

f f ect

St r

engt

h of

Neg

ati v

e A

ff ect

StrongStrong

WeakWeak

Negative PhotoNegative Photo Neutral PhotoNeutral Photo

Effects of Effects of reappraisalreappraisal

pp < .001 < .001

Reappraisal significantly decreases Reappraisal significantly decreases amygdala responseamygdala response

0-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16-.2

-.15

-.1

-.05

0

.05

.1

.15

.2

LookLook > > Decrease

Reapp

Look neg

Look neuPhotoPhoto10 secs10 secs

CueCue2sec2sec

% s

igna

l cha

nge

% s

igna

l cha

nge

Lag

IncreaseIncrease > Look > LookReappraiseReappraise > Look Neg > Look Neg

Preparing to Reappraise Aversive ImagesPreparing to Reappraise Aversive ImagesMedial PFC

VLPFC

DLPFC

IncreaseIncrease > Look > Look

Reappraising Aversive ImagesReappraising Aversive Images

Dorsal lateral PFC(DLPFC)

Ventral lateral PFC(VLPFC)

Medial PFC

ReappraiseReappraise > Look Neg > Look Neg

lateral

Medial PFCDorsal ACC

medialp < .001

Ventral PFC

Regions Supporting ReappraisalRegions Supporting Reappraisal ((ReappraiseReappraise > Look) > Look)

Controls

lateral

Medial PFC

medialDorsal PFC

p < .001

Ventral PFCDepressedDepressed

Dorsal PFC

Working Model of the Cognitive Working Model of the Cognitive Control of EmotionControl of Emotion

Medial

Lateral

AmygdalaAmygdalaGenerate

initial response

Lateral PFCLateral PFC

Top-down Top-down implementation implementation

of cognitive of cognitive reappraisalsreappraisals

Medial PFCMedial PFC

Self-awareness Self-awareness of emotion of emotion

during during reappraisalreappraisal

Monitor reappraisal

success

Anterior Anterior Cingulate Cingulate

CortexCortex

Response ModulationDirectly influencing physiological, experiential, or expression

Examples

-Hide or present facial expression

-Use exercise or drugs to decrease experience

Contextual Event

EMOTION

Observable Response

Suppression

Emotional SuppressionInhibit emotion so that emotions are hidden

from others (response modulation)

Consequences

Lab Session (short-term)

Facial expression, somatic activity, heart rate

Blinking, GSR

Chronic Suppressors (long-term)

Positive expression and experience

Negative experience

Interpersonal functioning and well-being

Get into groups of 2 or 3 One person in group will look at the screen

Try to suppress your facial expression The other(s) will look at that person’s face

(and not the screen) Try to find out when your partner sees

something disturbing.

Emotional Suppression

Switch!

Emotional Suppression

1 2 3 4 5

What is the relationship between What is the relationship between Social Cognition and Emotion?Social Cognition and Emotion?

What is the relation btw. Soc-Cog What is the relation btw. Soc-Cog and Emotion?and Emotion?

What do you feel, think, want right now?What do you feel, think, want right now?What are your traits/dispositions?What are your traits/dispositions?

Did he intend to be mean?Is he an aggressive guy?

Social Social CognitionCognition

What is the relation btw. Soc-Cog What is the relation btw. Soc-Cog and Emotion?and Emotion?

What do you feel, think, want right now?What do you feel, think, want right now?What are your traits/dispositions?What are your traits/dispositions?

Does he look angry?How upset am I?

(Is her heart racing, etc.)

Social Cognition

What are you expressing?What are you expressing? How am I feeling How am I feeling (expressing, physio responding)(expressing, physio responding)??

Emotion

Draw high-level inference about Draw high-level inference about social/emotional stimulisocial/emotional stimuli

Why is this man Why is this man smiling??Happy?Happy?

Draw high-level inference about Draw high-level inference about social/emotional stimulisocial/emotional stimuli

Why is this man smiling?Why is this man smiling?Happy?Happy?

Or manipulative?Or manipulative?