Discourse comprehension and simulation of positive emotions

Recent research has suggested that emotional sentences are understood by constructing an emotion simulation of the events being described. The present study aims to investigate whether emotion simulation is also involved in online and offline comprehension of larger language segments such as discourse. Participants read a target text describing positive events while their facial postures were manipulated to be either congruent (matching condition) or incongruent (mismatching condition) with emotional valence of the text. In addition, a control condition was included in which participants read the text naturally (without a manipulation of facial posture). The influence of emotion simulation on discourse understanding was assessed by online (self-paced reading times) and offline (verbatim and inference questions) measures of comprehension. The major result was that participants read faster the target text describing positive emotional events while their bodily systems were prepared for processing of positive emotions (matching condition) rather than unprepared (control condition) or prevented from positive emotional processing (mismatching condition). Simulation of positive emotions did not have a significant impact on offline explicit and implicit discourse comprehension. This pattern of results suggests that emotion simulation has an impact on online comprehension, but may not have any effect on offline discourse processing

The influence of psychological resilience on the relation between automatic stimulus evaluation and attentional breadth for surprised faces

The broaden-and-build theory relates positive emotions to resilience and cognitive broadening. The theory proposes that the broadening effects underly the relation between positive emotions and resilience, suggesting that resilient people can benefit more from positive emotions at the level of cognitive functioning. Research has investigated the influence of positive emotions on attentional broadening, but the stimulus in the target of attention may also influence attentional breadth, depending on affective stimulus evaluation. Surprised faces are particularly interesting as they are valence ambiguous, therefore, we investigated the relation between affective evaluation-using an affective priming task-and attentional breadth for surprised faces, and how this relation is influenced by resilience. Results show that more positive evaluations are related to more attentional broadening at high levels of resilience, while this relation is reversed at low levels. This indicates that resilient individuals can benefit more from attending to positively evaluated stimuli at the level of attentional broadening

Beyond happiness: Building a science of discrete positive emotions.

While trait positive emotionality and state positive-valence affect have long been the subject of intense study, the importance of differentiating among several "discrete" positive emotions has only recently begun to receive serious attention. In this article, we synthesize existing literature on positive emotion differentiation, proposing that the positive emotions are best described as branches of a "family tree" emerging from a common ancestor mediating adaptive management of fitness-critical resources (e.g., food). Examples are presented of research indicating the importance of differentiating several positive emotion constructs. We then offer a new theoretical framework, built upon a foundation of phylogenetic, neuroscience, and behavioral evidence, that accounts for core features as well as mechanisms for differentiation. We propose several directions for future research suggested by this framework and develop implications for the application of positive emotion research to translational issues in clinical psychology and the science of behavior change. (PsycINFO Database Recor

Effects of positive mood on attention broadening for self-related information

Studies on cognitive effects of positive emotions have associated positive emotions to broadened attention. Given the widely investigated relationship between self-focused attention and mood, it is important to investigate the effect of positive mood on visuospatial attention for self-related information. We used a performance-based measure to assess fluctuations in attentional broadening from self-related contrasted to not-self-related information. In Experiment 1, we checked that the self-related versus not-self-related stimuli did not evoke differential attention effects in general. In Experiment 2, we manipulated mood and found that an increase in positive mood was associated with a relative broadening of attention for self-related information. These results suggest that the meaning of the target of attention provides an interesting dimension for further investigation into the relation between positive emotions and attentional broadening

The Appreciative Heart: The Psychophysiology of Positive Emotions and Optimal Functioning

This monograph is an overview of Institute of HeartMath's research on the physiological correlates of positive emotions and the science underlying two core HeartMath techniques which supports Heart-Based Living. The heart's connection with love and other positive emotions has survived throughout millennia and across many diverse cultures. New empirical research is providing scientific validation for this age-old association. This 21-page monograph offers a comprehensive understanding of the Institute of HeartMath's cutting-edge research exploring the heart's central role in emotional experience. Described in detail is physiological coherence, a distinct mode of physiological functioning, which is generated during sustained positive emotions and linked with beneficial health and performance-related outcomes. The monograph also provides steps and applications of two HeartMath techniques, Freeze-Frame(R) and Heart Lock-In(R), which engage the heart to help transform stress and produce sustained states of coherence. Data from outcome studies are presented, which suggest that these techniques facilitate a beneficial repatterning process at the mental, emotional and physiological levels

Positive emotions: an informational workshop

The purpose of this thesis was to design and evaluate an educational intervention focusing on the role of positive emotions in the workplace. An informational workshop was delivered to the full staff of 18 teachers and 2 directors at Circle of Children Preschool in Santa Monica, California, and emphasized positive emotions and their implications in the workplace in an effort to enhance awareness of emotions and inspire increased levels of positive emotions. A sample set of the staff evaluated the workshop and its effectiveness. The sample was surveyed and interviewed for levels of positive emotions prior to the workshop and, again, after the workshop for a comparison of possible change in levels of positive emotions. Findings were varied. Quantitative survey results showed a slight decline in levels of positive emotions, whereas qualitative interviews acknowledged positive effects in both understanding the value of positive emotions and inspiring a shift towards a more positive outlook in the workplace

Creativity and positive emotions in studying: Novel possibilities for improving students’ learning

Research on students’ learning identified that positive affect is a strong predictor of better academic performance even when statistically controlling for effects of prior academic performance and approaches to learning (e.g., Rogaten, Moneta & Spada, 2013). A variable that has been found to strongly link with positive affect in studying is use of creative cognition, which is the habit to deploy one’s own creative ability to an endeavour (Rogaten & Moneta, in press). Based on the broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 1998), the mood-as-input model (Martin et al., 1993), the control-process model (Carver & Scheier, 2001), and self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), it was hypothesised that positive affect will be both an antecedent and a consequence of use of creative cognition in studying. 130 university students completed the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Short Form (I-PANAS-SF) and the Use of Creative Cognition Scale (UCCS) with reference to their overall studying experience in the first and second semesters of an academic year. A comparison of alternative structural equation models showed clear support for the reciprocal relationship between positive affect in studying and use of creative cognition in studying. This is the first study that found the longitudinal relationship between use of creative cognition in studying and subsequent positive affect in studying, which opens novel possibilities for interventions. Well-designed curricula, assessments and training programs that foster the use of creative cognition in studying may increase students’ positive affect and engagement in studying and, in turn, improve their learning and academic performance

Improving Positive Emotions of Honorary Teachers

Positive emotions are important for honorary teachers in their profession and daily life. This research is intended to find out the effect of self-esteem and spouse support on positive emotions of honorary teachers. This research uses quantitative methods, data collection uses scales, the sample is taken by simple random sampling technique. The samples of this research are 104 honorary teachers of Muhammadiyah Junior High Schools in Yogyakarta. Multiple regression analysis techniques show self-esteem, and support from each partner can influence positive emotions with the effective contribution of the self-esteem variable toward positive emotions is 20.60%, while the partner support variable contributes 2.99%

Positive emotions and passionate leisure involvement

Music is commonly linked to moments of remembrance, joy, celebration and bonding. This paper explores how middle-aged participants in a music scene use the various aspects of their involvement to create and store positive emotions cultivated through music appreciation, friendship building and maintenance, and shared moments of ecstasy and catharsis. Due to the prevalence of significant life events and transitions in this age cohort (relationship, career and health changes), isolating how people use their involvement in leisure activities can be integral to learning how people build and maintain a high quality of life, as well as how they draw on those positive associations to cope with potential hardships that may arise