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Does greater working memory predict greater skill in the up- and down-regulation of positive emotion?

Volokhov, Rachael N.

Abstract Details

2010, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Psychology.
This study was designed to investigate the relationship between working memory (WM), and emotion regulation. WM is the ability to maintain goal-related information while simultaneously performing a competing cognitive task. Emotion regulation is the ability to modulate experienced emotion and facial expression, oftentimes by simultaneously promoting one affective state and inhibiting another. Extending a previous study by Schmeichel, Volokhov, & Demaree (2008), which tested emotional suppression, it was hypothesized that people with greater WM capacity would be able to both suppress and exaggerate their reactions to positive stimuli more easily than people with lower WM capacity. Additionally, because WM denotes the ability to perform two cognitive tasks simultaneously, greater WM should allow people to expend less effort during an emotion regulation task and thus conserve their regulatory resources. Participants were asked to naturally watch, suppress their reaction to, and exaggerate their reaction to a series of positive film clips. Participants were videotaped and physiologically monitored as they watch the film clips. Working memory was assessed and compared to emotion regulation ability, effort employed to regulate, and changes in regulatory strength. WM was not related to successful up or down regulation of facial expression or to changes in regulatory resources. WM was related to effort; individuals with greater WM capacity required less effort to up-regulate their positive emotions.
Heath Demaree, PhD (Committee Chair)
Douglas Detterman, PhD (Committee Member)
Lee Thompson, PhD (Committee Member)
Anthony Jack, PhD (Committee Member)

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Volokhov, R. N. (2010). Does greater working memory predict greater skill in the up- and down-regulation of positive emotion? [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1275654132

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Volokhov, Rachael. Does greater working memory predict greater skill in the up- and down-regulation of positive emotion? 2010. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1275654132.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Volokhov, Rachael. "Does greater working memory predict greater skill in the up- and down-regulation of positive emotion?" Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1275654132

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)