Neural processing of emotional-intensity predicts emotion regulation choice

Abstract

Emotional-intensity is a core characteristic of affective events that strongly determines how individuals choose to regulate their emotions. Our conceptual framework suggests that in high emotional-intensity situations, individuals prefer to disengage attention using distraction, which can more effectively block highly potent emotional information, as compared with engagement reappraisal, which is preferred in low emotional-intensity. However, existing supporting evidence remains indirect because prior intensity categorization of emotional stimuli was based on subjective measures that are potentially biased and only represent the endpoint of emotional-intensity processing. Accordingly, this study provides the first direct evidence for the role of online emotional-intensity processing in predicting behavioral regulatory-choices. Utilizing the high temporal resolution of event-related potentials, we evaluated online neural processing of stimuli's emotional-intensity (late positive potential, LPP) prior to regulatory-choices between distraction and reappraisal. Results showed that enhanced neural processing of intensity (enhanced LPP amplitudes) uniquely predicted (above subjective measures of intensity) increased tendency to subsequently choose distraction over reappraisal. Additionally, regulatory-choices led to adaptive consequences, demonstrated in finding that actual implementation of distraction relative to reappraisal-choice resulted in stronger attenuation of LPPs and self-reported arousal.

Automatic Reappraisal-Based Implementation Intention Produces Early and Sustainable Emotion Regulation Effects: Event-Related Potential Evidence

“…Given that event-related potentials (ERPs) have been widely used as the temporally fine-grained indices of the effects of reappraisal, we designed an ERP study including regulation and re-exposure phases to examine the short- and long-term regulatory effects of automatic reappraisal, respectively. Specifically, we collected self-report ratings of valence and arousal and used the centro-parietal late positive potential (LPP) as an ERP index, since LPP has been suggested to be sensitive to both emotional intensity (Shafir et al, 2016 ) and cognitive reappraisal process (Hajcak et al, 2006 , 2010 ). The centro-parietal LPP starts 300 ms after stimulus onset, showing enhanced amplitudes as the processing of emotional intensity increases (Hajcak et al, 2009 ).…”

Capacity and tendency: A neuroscientific framework for the study of emotion regulation

“…This suggests that individuals compute a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether it is worth exerting the cognitive resourcesfor example, engaging working memory [32] required to reappraise high-intensity affective stimuli [98]. While event-related potential data support the notion that neural computations of a stimulus's emotional intensity predict regulatory strategy choice, the limited spatial resolution associated with EEG makes it difficult to say what neural circuits support regulatory decisions and implementations [96]. As such, complementary neuroimaging methods are needed to better characterize the neural bases of situational influences on emotion regulation tendencies.…”

Cognitive Costs of Reappraisal Depend on Both Emotional Stimulus Intensity and Individual Differences in Habitual Reappraisal

“…That is, strategies targeting late selection should be more effortful and less effective [5]. In support of this assertion, individuals are less likely to choose reappraisal than distraction to regulate their emotions when stimuli are more intense, based either on subjective ratings of intensity or on neural measures of intensity, such as the late positive potential [8,9]. Also, reappraisal is effective for reducing emotional feelings when initiated early, but not late, during a sad film [10].…”