title: Frequency, characteristics, and perceived functions of emotional future thinking in daily life.
abstract: While many thoughts and mental images that people form about their personal future refer to emotionally significant events, there is still little empirical data on the frequency and nature of emotional future-oriented thoughts (EmoFTs) that occur in natural settings. In the present study, participants recorded EmoFTs occurring in daily life and rated their characteristics, emotional properties, and perceived functions. The results showed that EmoFTs are frequent, occur in various contexts, and are perceived to fulfil important functions, mostly related to goal pursuit and emotion regulation. When distinguishing between anticipatory and anticipated emotions (i.e., emotions experienced in the present versus emotions expected to occur in the future), a positivity bias in the frequency of EmoFTs was found to be restricted to anticipated emotions. The representational format and perceived function of EmoFTs varied according to their affective valence, and the intensity of anticipatory and anticipated emotions were influenced by the personal importance and amount of visual imagery of EmoFTs. Mood states preceding EmoFTs influenced their emotional components, which, in turn, impacted ensuing mood states. Overall, these findings shed further light on the emotional properties of future-oriented thoughts that are experienced in daily life.
authors.affiliation: a Swiss Center for Affective Sciences , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|b Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barsics
authors.affiliation: a Swiss Center for Affective Sciences , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|b Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|c Department of Psychology: Cognition and Behavior , University of Liège, Liège , Belgium.
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
authors.affiliation: a Swiss Center for Affective Sciences , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|c Department of Psychology: Cognition and Behavior , University of Liège, Liège , Belgium.
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Argembeau
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anticipated emotion; Anticipatory emotion; Future thinking; Mental time travel; Mood; Prospection