THE ROLE OF AFFECTIVE UPDATING IN THE COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL STRATEGY OF EMOTION REGULATION

Abstract

Recent studies show that executive functions play an essential role in different strategies of emotion regulation (ER). The present study explored updating of information in working memory as a possible cognitive basis of cognitive reappraisal. Updating of affective information was examined, in particular, because cognitive tasks using affective material might be more relevant for the research relating to executive functions and ER. Sixty-three participants with mean age of 21.31 (SD = 4.03; 61% female and 39% male) took part in the experiment. To measure affective updating, an affective version of the n-back task had been developed using emotional faces as stimuli. Cognitive reappraisal was measured with Gross Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. A positive relationship was obtained between affective updating and cognitive reappraisal. It was suggested that ER should be more strongly related to affective rather than non-affective updating because ER requires the ability to control the processing of the emotional information particularly.