Resilient Individuals Use Positive Emotions to Bounce Back From Negative Emotional Experiences

Theory indicates that resilient individuals "bounce back" from stressful experiences quickly and effectively. Few studies, however, have provided empirical evidence for this theory. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions ( B. L. Fredrickson, 1998 , 2001) is used as a framework f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2004-02, Vol.86 (2), p.320-333
Main Authors: Tugade, Michele M, Fredrickson, Barbara L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adolescent
Adult
Affect
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Pressure - physiology
Cardiovascular Reactivity
Convalescence
Coping Behavior
Depression - psychology
Emotional Control
Emotional Regulation
Emotional States
Emotions
Experiences (Events)
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Heart Rate - physiology
Human
Humans
Individuals
Male
Meaning
Meaningfulness
Mental stress
Personality
Personality traits
Personality. Affectivity
Positive Emotions
Positivism
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Resilience (Psychological)
Self-government
Social psychology
Stress
Stress Reactions
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Theory indicates that resilient individuals "bounce back" from stressful experiences quickly and effectively. Few studies, however, have provided empirical evidence for this theory. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions ( B. L. Fredrickson, 1998 , 2001) is used as a framework for understanding psychological resilience. The authors used a multimethod approach in 3 studies to predict that resilient people use positive emotions to rebound from, and find positive meaning in, stressful encounters. Mediational analyses revealed that the experience of positive emotions contributed, in part, to participants' abilities to achieve efficient emotion regulation, demonstrated by accelerated cardiovascular recovery from negative emotional arousal (Studies 1 and 2) and by finding positive meaning in negative circumstances (Study 3). Implications for research on resilience and positive emotions are discussed.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.86.2.320