Working memory capacity and spontaneous emotion regulation: High capacity predicts self-enhancement in response to negative feedback.
Abstract
Although previous evidence suggests that working memory capacity (WMC) is important for success at emotion regulation, that evidence may reveal simply that people with higher WMC follow instructions better than those with lower WMC. The present study tested the hypothesis that people with higher WMC more effectively engage in spontaneous emotion regulation following negative feedback, relative to those with lower WMC. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either no feedback or negative feedback about their emotional intelligence. They then completed a disguised measure of self-enhancement and a self-report measure of affect. Experimental condition and WMC interacted such that higher WMC predicted more self-enhancement and less negative affect following negative feedback. This research provides novel insight into the consequences of individual differences in WMC and illustrates that cognitive capacity may facilitate the spontaneous self-regulation of emotion.
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People with greater working memory capacity are more likely to use automatic emotion regulation strategies.
“As a second example, Schmeichel and Demaree (2010) found that people with greater working memory capacity (WMC) are more likely to use AER strategies.”
From Physiological feelings (2019) · cites this paper as Schmeichel and Demaree, 2010
Automatic emotion regulation has been used to combat felt negative emotion from sources such as ego threat, anger provocation, and social exclusion.
“Affectively, AER has been used to combat felt negative emotion coming from such sources as ego threat (Schmeichel and Demaree, 2010), anger provocation (Mauss et al., 2007b), and social exclusion (DeWall et al., 2011).”
From Physiological feelings (2019) · cites this paper as Schmeichel and Demaree, 2010
Individuals are often unaware when they are using automatic emotion regulation strategies.
“Individuals report using AER frequently (e.g., Gross et al., 2006), and yet are often unaware when they are using AER strategies (e.g., Schmeichel and Demaree, 2010).”
From Physiological feelings (2019) · cites this paper as Schmeichel and Demaree, 2010
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Executive functions and self-regulation
Hofmann, W., Schmeichel, B. J., & Baddeley, A. D. (2012) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2012.01.006 · Cited by 1,965 · see citing works
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“Affectively, AER has been used to combat felt negative emotion coming from such sources as ego threat (Schmeichel and Demaree, 2010), anger provocation (Mauss et al.”
Self-citationCognitive and Affective Empathy Relate Differentially to Emotion Regulation
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- Authors
- Schmeichel, B. J., & Demaree, H. A.
- Affiliations
- Texas A&M University (US)
- Case Western Reserve University (US)
- Venue
- Emotion
- Published
- 2010
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 739-744
- ISSN
- 1528-3542 (ISSN-L)
- 1931-1516
- OpenAlex
- W1988249697
- Cited by
- 177
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 9.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Emotion (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Keywords
- working memory capacity, self-enhancement, negative feedback, emotional intelligence, negative affect, individual differences, cognitive ability, self-regulation
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Feedback, Psychological
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