Positive psych txt jan 26

How did traditional psychology view emotions?

Historically, emotions were seen as:

• irrational

• disruptive to decision-making

• signs of poor adjustment

What does modern research show about emotions?

Both positive and negative emotions can be adaptive, supporting coping, health, decision-making, and well-being when used effectively.

What is the overall purpose of this unit on emotional experiences?

To explain:

• how people use emotions effectively

• how emotional skills improve coping, health, and well-being

• how emotions become tools for flourishing rather than obstacles

What is emotional approach coping (EAC)?

Actively processing and expressing emotions to understand emotional experience and communicate feelings rather than avoiding them.

Why did early emotion-focused coping research wrongly link emotions to poor adjustment?

Early measures were biased — items reflected self-blame, instability, and negative self-view. When these were removed, negative findings disappeared.

Who redefined emotion-focused coping as potentially adaptive?

Stanton proposed that engaging emotions can be adaptive, depending on:

• situation

• social environment

• individual traits

What are the two core components of EAC?

1. Emotional Processing (EP) — making sense of emotions

2. Emotional Expression (EE) — outward communication of emotions

What outcomes are linked to higher EAC?

• better psychological adjustment

• lower distress

• sometimes improved physical health

Give an example of EAC benefits in health research.

Breast cancer patients using EAC showed:

• better perceived health

• lower distress

• fewer medical visits

Is EAC effective across cultures and ages?

Yes. Findings replicate across:

• different illnesses

• cultures

• age groups

What mechanisms explain why EAC is effective?

• affect labeling (naming emotions)

• cognitive reappraisal

• dispositional hope

• strengthened social bonds

What is affect labeling?

Putting emotions into words, which reduces emotional overwhelm and increases cognitive control.

What is cognitive reappraisal?

Reframing a stressor in a more adaptive or meaningful way

How does EAC strengthen social bonds?

Expressing emotions communicates needs, leading to support and connection.

What is the overall effect of these mediators?

They move a person from emotional overload → clearer thinking → adaptive coping.

What factors influence when EAC is most effective?

• nature of the stressor

• purpose of expression

• social environment

• gender norms

• individual differences

When is EAC especially helpful?

When stressors feel uncontrollable and expression is used to gain support or meaning.

How do gender norms affect EAC?

Men are often discouraged from emotional expression, which can limit EAC effectiveness.

Why must emotional coping be interpreted culturally?

Coping strategies work best when they fit cultural norms and stressor types.

How does emotion-focused coping help under discrimination stress?

It can reduce stress from racism, strengthen self-esteem, and improve life satisfaction.

How do traditional Asian cultures view emotional expression?

They value emotional suppression to preserve group harmony.

Why might contemporary Asian individuals feel conflict about emotions?

They balance Western expression norms with traditional suppression values, creating possible stress.

What determines EAC success across cultures?

• acculturation level

• adherence to cultural values

• social context

What are BAS and BIS?

• Behavioral Activation System (BAS): reward-seeking, approach behavior

• Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS): avoidance of threat or punishment

What role does the amygdala play in emotion?

Processes emotional significance and dominates under stress.

What role does the prefrontal cortex play?

Regulation, meaning-making, and reappraisal of emotions.

What happens in the brain when we label emotions?

• increased prefrontal activation

• reduced amygdala activity
  Shifts from alarm → cognitive control.

How may EAC affect stress hormones?

It may reduce cortisol and inflammatory responses (evidence promising but mixed).

How does culture shape neural emotion regulation?

Asian participants show stronger neural ability to down-regulate emotion during suppression — suggesting cultural shaping of emotional brain systems.

What is emotional intelligence (EI)?

The ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions in oneself and others.

Who first proposed EI as an intelligence?

Salovey & Mayer (1990), building on earlier ideas that emotion is a form of higher-order intelligence.

What are the four branches of ability-based EI?

• Perceiving emotions

• Using emotions to facilitate thought

• Understanding emotions

• Managing emotions

What does “perceiving emotions” involve?

Recognizing emotions in faces, voices, and context — including cultural display rules.

What does “using emotions to facilitate thought” mean?

Emotions guide attention, decision-making, and creativity.

What does “understanding emotions” involve?

Comprehending emotion blends, transitions, and consequences.

What does “managing emotions” involve?

Regulating one’s own and others’ emotions without repression or overwhelm.

What is the MSCEIT?

A performance-based EI test assessing emotion perception, understanding, and management tasks.

What outcomes are linked to higher ability-based EI?

• better mental health

• stronger coping

• better leadership

• higher job satisfaction

• better academic performance beyond IQ

Why is EI called “hot intelligence”?

It deals with personally meaningful information — identity, belonging, emotions, and well-being.

Can EI be trained?

Yes. Training improves emotional skills, with evidence showing moderate positive effects.

What are mixed EI models?

Models combining emotional abilities with personality and adaptive traits.

What is the TEIQue?

A widely used self-report Trait EI questionnaire measuring ability + non-ability emotional traits.

Why do mixed EI models correlate strongly with personality?

Because they include traits like optimism, empathy, stress management — healthy traits in any context.

Do mixed EI models still predict outcomes beyond personality?

Yes — they predict additional variance in academic success, stress reduction, and motivation.

Does EI work the same across cultures?

EI includes some universal abilities, but expression and outcomes depend on cultural context.

How does EI help with discrimination stress?

Higher EI buffers mental-health impact of racial discrimination by improving emotion understanding and regulation.

What is SST?

As perceived time becomes limited, people prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and positive experiences.

How do goals differ by age according to SST?

• younger adults → future-oriented, knowledge seeking

• older adults → present-focused, emotionally meaningful goals

What is the “positivity effect” in aging?

Older adults attend to and remember positive information more than negative.

What mechanism drives SST?

Perception of time remaining, not age itself.

How is SST used in health messaging?

Positive framing works better for older adults than fear-based messaging.

What is expressive writing (Pennebaker paradigm)?

Writing about deepest thoughts and feelings around emotional experiences for short sessions across multiple days.

What are typical benefits of expressive writing?

• reduced stress

• improved immune function

• better meaning-making

• fewer medical visits

Why does writing initially increase distress?

Emotional activation occurs before long-term processing benefits appear.

What theory explains writing benefits via reduced inhibition?

Inhibition theory — disclosing emotions reduces physiological stress from suppression.

What theory explains benefits through meaning-making?

Cognitive processing theory — translating emotion into language reorganizes memory and builds meaning

Why is no single theory sufficient?

Benefits likely come from combined effects: disinhibition + cognitive processing + social reintegration.

Why does expressive writing work differently across cultures?

Emotional disclosure norms differ; interventions must match cultural meaning systems.

What happens when writing instructions are culturally congruent?

Benefits increase — effectiveness depends on aligning with cultural values.

How does CBT work with emotions?

Changes thoughts and behaviors to reduce emotional distress.

How does ACT work with emotions?

Encourages acceptance and mindfulness so emotions no longer control behavior.

What is the key difference between CBT and ACT regarding emotion?

• CBT aims to reduce emotional intensity

• ACT aims to change relationship to emotions

What is the modern positive-psychology view of emotions?

Emotions are tools for adaptation, meaning, connection, and flourishing — not obstacles to rationality.

Why must emotional work always consider culture?

Emotional expression, regulation, and meaning are culturally shaped — one-size approaches fail.

What is the ultimate message of working with emotions?

How we engage emotional experiences sets the limits of our well-being.