Emotion Regulation Function of Autobiographical Remembering

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to investigate emotion regulation function of autobiograhical remembering within an integrative perspective. We asked participants to recall sadness, anger and happiness related events for emotion induction, then they recalled any random memory that came to their mind. In the latter remembering experience. Pre- and post-report emotionality ratings and phenomenological features of the recall were examined to test whether subsequent recall served to upregulate positive emotions. Only in sadness and anger memory groups who recalled memories with high emotional impact reported more positive emotions after subsequent remembering. Also, we found distinct mechanisms by which sadness and anger groups used for emotion regulation such that for the sadness group whereas the emotional intensity accounted for the role of upregulation, for the anger group, importance of the event predicted enhanced positivity. Findings are discussed in the context of the emotion regulation function of autobiographical remembering.