Emotionally enhanced memory for negatively arousing words: storage or retrieval advantage?

People typically remember emotionally negative words better than neutral words. Two experiments are reported that investigate whether emotionally enhanced memory (EEM) for negatively arousing words is based on a storage or retrieval advantage. Participants studied non-word–word pairs that either involved negatively arousing or neutral target words. Memory for these target words was tested by means of a recognition test and a cued-recall test. Data were analysed with a multinomial model that allows the disentanglement of storage and retrieval processes in the present recognition-then-cued-recall paradigm. In both experiments the multinomial analyses revealed no storage differences between negatively arousing and neutral words but a clear retrieval advantage for negatively arousing words in the cued-recall test. These findings suggest that EEM for negatively arousing words is driven by associative processes.     

Emotional intelligence levels and counselling skills of prospective psychological counsellors

This research aimed to determine the correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and counselling skills of Turkish prospective psychological counsellors and to investigate differences in both EI and counselling skills in terms of sex, previous experience of group studies, and class levels. Within a correlational pattern, the sample of the study comprised a total of 349 prospective psychological counsellors; 266 females (76.2%) and 83 (23.8%) males. The data were collected via a Personal Information Form, Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory ? and Microcounseling Skill Discrimination Scale?. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between EI and emotional reflection and general counselling skills; no significant correlation between EI and content reflection.     

Emotional intelligence and risky driving behaviour in adults

BackgroundRisky driving is considered a key predictive factor in road traffic accidents resulting in morbidity and mortality. Intra-individual emotional and personality factors have been shown to influence risk-taking behaviours among drivers. Despite this, there is limited research investigating the individual dimensions of these constructs and their relationship to risky driving behaviour (RDB). The current study therefore aimed to assess whether the individual dimensions of Emotional Intelligence (EI) were implicated in RDB.MethodsThe sample comprised 179 adults (55% male) aged between 18 and 64 years (M = 29.85, SD = 11.46) and who currently held a valid driver’s licence completed an online survey. Emotional Intelligence was assessed via self-report using the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUEIT), and RDB was measured using both the Brief Distracted Driving Scale (BDDS) and the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI).ResultsRegression analyses revealed that ‘Risky Driving’ was related to greater levels of Emotional Recognition and Expression and lesser Age [F_{(6, 172)} = 2.27, p < 0.05: R² = 7.3%], and the Negative Emotions sub-scale of DDDI, was significantly predicted by Emotional Control and Age [F_{(6, 172)} = 6.41, p < 0.05: R² = 18.3%]. A mediation model incorporating Age, Emotional Control scores and the Negative Emotions driving behaviour score indicated that a significant indirect effect of Age through Emotional Control (K² = 0.08, 95% CI [−0.02, −0.03]). (H [3] = 10.98, p = 0.012).ConclusionsLower scores on specific indices of EI are associated with increased rates of RDB, suggesting that poor emotional control may impede an individuals’ ability to make safe behavioural decisions when driving. The effect sizes for these models were small, however, and further research is needed to explore the contributory components in this association. Greater awareness of the role of emotional regulation and driving behaviours may be useful in preventing RDB in adults.     

Predicting cooperation in competitive conditions: The role of sportspersonship,moral competence,and emotional intelligence

ObjectivesThe purpose of the present study was to examine the predictive capabilities of sportspersonship, moral competence, and emotional intelligence on cooperation in varying competitive conditions.DesignAn experimental study was conducted, examining responses in a prisoner's dilemma game with manipulated conditions.MethodForty-three participants were randomly assigned to an accumulative or competitive condition, in which they contested 10 rounds of choosing to cooperate or defect.ResultsWhether the condition was accumulative or competitive did not significantly predict cooperation. In the final round of each contest however, cooperation was significantly reduced. Sportspersonship predicted a significant amount of cooperation percentage, while final round cooperation was predicted by emotional intelligence.ConclusionsCooperation is in part determined by individual levels of sportspersonship in all conditions except when actions are free of future consequence. In such conditions, emotional intelligence appears to be a stronger indicator of cooperation. The implications of the study are that researchers and practitioners should consider how to develop sportspersonship and emotional intelligence to boost cooperation in various domains.     

Emotion-specific and emotion-non-specific components of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): implications for a taxonomy of related psychopathology

Many cognitive theories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including our own SPAARS model, propose that one basis of the disorder is the cognitive system's persistent failure to resolve discrepancies between trauma-related information and the content of pre-existing mental representations, such as schemas. This leads to the characteristic PTSD symptom pattern of re-experiencing and avoidance of trauma-related material. Furthermore, the nature of this unresolved discrepancy revolves around appraisals of threat and the corresponding emotion profile in PTSD is therefore predominantly intense fear and anxiety. This paper argues that this general framework can be extended to discrepancies around other appraisal dimensions such as loss, and consequently to other emotions such as sadness. A localized taxonomy is therefore proposed comprising emotional disorders that resemble PTSD in their basic patterns of re-experiencing and avoidance symptoms--what we call their 'emotion-non-specific component'--but that differ from PTSD in terms of the core emotions involved--what we call their 'emotion-specific component'. The clinical and nosological implications of this argument are discussed.     

Anhedonia and emotional numbing in combat veterans with PTSD

We explored relationships between anhedonia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters, including their role in predicting psychiatric comorbidity. Our measure of anhedonia was derived from an examination of the latent structure of the Beck Depression Inventory. We found evidence for a two-factor solution, leading to anhedonia and undifferentiated, global depressive symptoms scales. In primary analyses, anhedonia had a unique positive relationship with PTSD's emotional numbing symptoms and minimal relationships with other PTSD symptoms. Upon examining the incremental validity of appetitive functioning (i.e., anhedonia, emotional numbing) over and above aversive functioning (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyper-arousal PTSD symptoms) variables, greater emotional numbing increased the likelihood of being diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, and greater anhedonia increased the likelihood of being diagnosed with additional anxiety disorders and to a lesser extent, psychotic disorders. Results were consistent with research on the distinction of appetitive and aversive functioning, providing insight into the nature of PTSD.     

Consumer brand choice: individual and group analyses of demand elasticity

Following the behavior-analytic tradition of analyzing individual behavior, the present research investigated demand elasticity of individual consumers purchasing supermarket products, and compared individual and group analyses of elasticity. Panel data from 80 UK consumers purchasing 9 product categories (i.e., baked beans, biscuits, breakfast cereals, butter, cheese, fruit juice, instant coffee, margarine and tea) during a 16-week period were used. Elasticity coefficients were calculated for individual consumers with data from all or only 1 product category (intra-consumer elasticities), and for each product category using all data points from all consumers (overall product elasticity) or 1 average data point per consumer (interconsumer elasticity). In addition to this, split-sample elasticity coefficients were obtained for each individual with data from all product categories purchased during weeks 1 to 8 and 9 to 16. The results suggest that: 1) demand elasticity coefficients calculated for individual consumers purchasing supermarket food products are compatible with predictions from economic theory and behavioral economics; 2) overall product elasticities, typically employed in marketing and econometric research, include effects of interconsumer and intraconsumer elasticities; 3) when comparing demand elasticities of different product categories, group and individual analyses yield similar trends; and 4) individual differences in demand elasticity are relatively consistent across time, but do not seem to be consistent across products. These results demonstrate the theoretical, methodological, and managerial relevance of investigating the behavior of individual consumers.     

Faire face à des émotions négatives intenses en protection de l’enfance : un travail émotionnel qui mobilise des processus de régulation de l’anxiété et de la colère avec le soutien de l’équipe

This research aims at a better understanding of one aspect of emotional labor in child welfare: coping with intense negative emotions. It is based on 15 interviews conducted with social workers from Child Protective Services. Results indicate that the drivers of this aspect of emotional labor are characterized by unpredictability and interpersonal conflict. They give rise to surprise, anxiety and especially anger, particularly against institutions. Emotional regulation is carried out implicitly with a professional instrumental purpose. Different strategies are mobilized sequentially: social sharing of emotions and cognitive strategies allow recovery. The team social support during informal times appears central. These results underline the role of the team and plead for the recognition and professionalization of emotional work in this sector.     

‘The tables have turned’: Sport,emotion & the passive counter-politics of youth citizenship

This article considers the intersections between sport, emotion, and youth citizenship. I explore the emotional dynamics of citizenship of young people, in relation to sport, and within the context of liberal immigration polity in Singapore. In this qualitative study, I conducted video-elicitation written interviews (VEWI) with twenty-two Singaporean youths to understand the multiple ways in which young people negotiate and conceive of their citizenship through emotion, specifically in relation to an emotionally charged sport space. With the 2010 Moscow World Table Tennis Team Championships as the focus of this study, this article explores young people's ‘emotional subjectivities’ of citizenship to make sense of their strategies in articulating resistance through a form of passive counter-politics to top-down power relations of citizenship governance in Singapore. An emergent spatiality of emotional citizenship in relation to spaces of modern sport is identified, contributing to debates in geography and beyond.     

Service with style and smile. How and why employees are performing emotional labour?

IntroductionThree main emotion regulation strategies (naturally felt emotions, reappraisal and emotion suppression) have been identified among customer service agents. Each has an important impact on employees’ attitudes. Yet, employees are likely to combine these strategies in what we call emotion regulation styles.ObjectivesTwo studies aimed at identifying the emotion regulation styles used by customer service employees and at linking these styles to organizational consequences and motivation to perform emotional labour.MethodTwo studies (n₁ = 147 and n₂ = 195) evaluated the use of these strategies. Measures of job attitudes (satisfaction, affective commitment and intention to quit) were taken, as well as measures of motivation to perform emotional labour.ResultsSix styles were identified; four were common to both studies. Globally, employees classified as suppressors (use of emotion suppression only) or as non-regulators (no strategy used) reported lower levels of job satisfaction and affective commitment toward their organization compared to employees who used a flexible style (use of all three strategies) or an authentic style (use of reappraisal and expression of the naturally felt emotions). Employees adopting an acting style (use of emotion suppression and reappraisal) or a reappraising style (marked by preferential use of reappraisal) obtained results located between the non-regulating and the suppressing styles on one hand, and the authentic and the flexible styles on the other hand. Employees adopting a suppressing or a non-regulating style also manifested lower levels of motivation to regulate their emotions.ConclusionResults suggest that employees use a dynamic range of styles, which differ in their associated consequences.