title: Physiological and cognitive consequences of suppressing and expressing emotion in dyadic interactions.
abstract: Engaging in emotional suppression typically has negative consequences. However, relatively little is known about response-focused emotion regulation processes in dyadic interactions. We hypothesized that interacting with suppressive partners would be more threatening than interacting with expressive partners. To test predictions, two participants independently watched a negatively-valenced video and then discussed their emotional responses. One participant (the regulator) was assigned to express/suppress affective signals during the interaction. Their partner was given no special instructions prior to the interaction. Engaging in suppression versus expression elicited physiological responses consistent with threat-sympathetic arousal and increased vasoconstriction-in anticipation of and during dyadic interactions. Partners of emotional suppressors also exhibited more threat responses during the interaction, but not before, compared to partners of emotional expressors. Partner and interaction appraisals mirrored physiological findings. Emotional suppressors found the task more uncomfortable and intense while their partners reported them as being poor communicators. This work broadens our understanding of connections between emotion regulation, physiological responses, and cognitive processes in dyads.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, United States. Electronic address: brettpeters@rochester.edu.
authors.forename: Brett J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Nickola C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Overall
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, United States.
authors.forename: Jeremy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jamieson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D019260:Expressed Emotion / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dyads; Emotion regulation; Psychophysiology; Stress