Positive Emotions

A. Definition and examples of positive emotions

The definition and description of positive emotions has eluded many researchers because of their diffuse nature. While negative emotions have distinctive qualities that enable one to distinguish them from the other, positive emotions tend to blend together into an inextricable whole. The effort of researchers has led to diverse conceptions of positive emotions. However, Fredrickson (1998) has provided a strong basis for her selection of the following positive emotions in her study: Joy, interest, contentment and love. These examples capture the complexity and interwoven nature of different positive emotions. Nonetheless, they possess distinguishing features that can be used to differentiate one from the other (p. 305).

According to Fredrickson, joy is a powerful positive emotion that encapsulates many related positive emotions such as happiness, exhilaration and amusement. Although it can be a celebratory expression of the accomplishment of one's goals, joy can also stimulate the desire to engage in playful activities that do not have a particular set of goals. Interest motivates individuals to cultivate their curiosity and rise to different challenges. It provides an impetus for individuals to find out about the mysterious aspects of life, thus expanding their knowledge. Contentment enables individuals to pause in their life, count their blessings and acknowledge their recent accomplishments. Although this

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that positive reappraisal could be used as a strategy to counteract the effects of negative memories. Nonetheless, the significance of these results is mitigated by the fact that the use of the different types of mood-regulation strategies in an artificial laboratory setting may not be an accurate reflection of the naturalistic setting. In this research study, only study 4 incorporated the real world into the experiment. In Study 2, the researchers even found that the individuals who engaged in positive reappraisal did not counteract the effects of negative memories and continued to experience negative emotions. Therefore, more studies would need to be conducted in order to ascertain the validity of these results (Rusting & DeHart, 2000, p. 746). Other researchers have attempted to extend the investigation into the effectiveness of positive emotions in negative real-life settings. In their review of research studies on how caretakers of chronically ill patients cope with their experiences, Folkman and Moskowitz (2000) focus on how positive emotions enable caretakers to survive through their ordeal. First, positive emotions can relieve stress from the caretakers in highly negative situations and enable them to open their m

Category: Psychology - P