Emotion regulation is motivated.

Abstract

Because emotion regulation is a motivated process, one must adopt a motivational perspective to understand it. We build on the distinction between goal setting (i.e., selecting end-states to achieve) and goal striving (i.e., engaging in behaviors to achieve desired end-states). First, we discuss how these concepts apply to regulation in the emotion domain. Second, we review existing research on setting emotion goals and striving for them. Third, we highlight how goal setting and goal striving can operate in tandem to shape emotion regulation. Finally, we highlight the importance of considering emotion regulation as a motivated process, and how doing so informs key topics explored in this special issue, including those pertaining to determinants (e.g., culture as setting emotion goals), consequences (e.g., monitoring emotion goal progress and mental health), and interventions (e.g., manipulating features of emotion goal setting and striving to promote adaptive emotion regulation).

Identifying the determinants of emotion regulation choice: a systematic review with meta-analysis

“…engaging with goal-congruent stimuli). Therefore, future research should also try to disentangle emotional goals from the means to do so (Tamir et al, 2020).…”

“…However, as previously outlined, the selection stage involves not only the decision of which strategy to use but also whether to regulate (Webb, Schweiger Gallo, et al, 2012). As emotion regulation is a goal-directed and motivated process (Tamir et al, 2020), the decision of whether to regulate represents the goal or intention (where intentions reflect self-instructions to perform particular behaviours or to obtain certain outcomes, Triandis, 1980), while the term "emotion regulation choice" has typically been used to refer to decisions about how to regulate (e.g. Sheppes, 2020;Sheppes et al, 2011Sheppes et al, , 2014 1 and therefore represents the means by which the person decides to strive for that goal or achieve the intended outcome (cf.…”

Freedom to feel: A self‐determination theory account of emotion regulation

“…Recent work views emotion regulation as a motivated process (Tamir & Millgram, 2017; Tamir, Vishkin, & Gutentag, 2020). Yet despite the key role of the concept of autonomy in motivation research (Ryan et al, 2016), motivated accounts of emotion regulation have overlooked it.…”

“…First, a given strategy can give rise to different tactics, some more and some less adaptive, and these tactics often operate simultaneously (i.e., polyregulation; Ford et al, 2019). Second, the success of emotion regulatory efforts does not rest on their capacity to reduce emotions; it also includes their ability to produce desired outcomes (Tamir et al, 2020).…”

The COVID‐19 pandemic and healthcare workers psychological well‐being: a cross‐sectional survey in Indonesia

“…Meanwhile, studies have found that regulating emotions influences individuals’ well‐being (Gross & John, 2003 ) and higher involvement with their work (Barreiro & Treglown, 2020 ). Furthermore, it has been shown that a person's failure to regulate emotional reactions to daily experiences and choose appropriate behavioural reactions to manage emotions both have an impact on several outcomes, including interpersonal relationships, physical health complaints, behavioural problems and decreased levels of resilience/survival (Aldao et al., 2010 ; Gross & John, 2003 ; Moore et al., 2008 ; Tamir et al., 2020 ).…”