Positive emotion regulationforecasting the future, savoring the present and reminiscing about the past

Resumen

In recent years, there has been an increase in the attention to positive emotions and, more specifically, to the mechanisms underlying the regulation of positive experiences. So far, there is strong evidence suggesting the importance of cultivating positive emotions in relation to well-being and mental health. Importantly, positive emotion regulation does not only entail the deployment of regulatory mechanisms during the experience of a positive emotional state. Rather, positive emotions may be regulated also before and after the generation of a positive state. Though, despite the increasing body of studies exploring the mechanisms underlying positive emotions, several questions remain unanswered. The general aim of the present thesis is to expand our knowledge about the regulation of positive emotions in daily life, taking into account the gaps existing in the previous literature and considering the different time frames in which emotion regulation may occur: 1. Anticipation of positive emotional states: Does affective forecasting play a role for well-being? Does one’s future-oriented disposition influence resilience, thus enhancing and/or decreasing one’s resources to deal with stressors? 2. Savoring of positive emotional states: Which is the association between positive emotions and subsequent positive emotion regulation in daily life? Is positive emotion regulation fostered by the experience of high levels of positive emotions (i.e., consistent with the Broaden and Build theory) or by the presence of low levels of positive emotions (i.e., consistent with the hedonic flexibility principle)? 3. Recall of positive emotional states: Which are the mechanisms underlying the bias in recalling past positive experiences? Does holding a biased, yet optimistic, past-oriented disposition boost well-being and resilience? This doctoral dissertation consists of six publications which aim at solving the aforementioned research questions. First, three theoretical chapters are presented, which support the use of the EMA approach to the study of daily emotional dynamics. Subsequently, three experimental studies are provided, which aim at exploring how people anticipate, savor and recall positive emotional experiences, as well as the association between these processes and mental health.