Suppression and expression of emotion in social and interpersonal outcomes: A meta-analysis.
Abstract
Emotion expression is critical for the communication of important social information, such as emotional states and behavioral intentions. However, people tend to vary in their level of emotional expression. This meta-analysis investigated the relationships between levels of emotion expression and suppression, and social and interpersonal outcomes. PsycINFO databases, as well as reference lists were searched. Forty-three papers from a total of 3,200 papers met inclusion criteria, allowing for 105 effect sizes to be calculated. Meta-analyses revealed that greater suppression of emotion was significantly associated with poorer social wellbeing, including more negative first impressions, lower social support, lower social satisfaction and quality, and poorer romantic relationship quality. Furthermore, the expression of positive and general/nonspecific emotion was related to better social outcomes, while the expression of anger was associated with poorer social wellbeing. Expression of negative emotion generally was also associated with poorer social outcomes, although this effect size was very small and consisted of mixed results. These findings highlight the importance of considering the role that regulation of emotional expression can play in the development of social dysfunction and interpersonal problems. (PsycINFO Database Record
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The ability to suppress emotions may have longer-term consequences for social and mental wellbeing.
“which may have longer-term consequences for social and mental wellbeing (Chervonsky & Hunt, 2017; Hu et al., 2014).”
From The psychological impacts of content moderation on content moderators: A qualitative study (2023) · cites this paper as Chervonsky & Hunt, 2017
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Schweizer, S., Gotlib, I. H., & Blakemore, S.-J. (2020) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/emo0000695 · Cited by 199 · see citing works
“Habitual use of suppression in adolescents and adults is associated with poor mental health and impaired social functioning (Chervonsky & Hunt, 2017, 2019).”
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The psychological impacts of content moderation on content moderators: A qualitative study
Spence, R., Bifulco, A., Bradbury, P., Martellozzo, E., & DeMarco, J. (2023) · Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace · doi:10.5817/cp2023-4-8 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
“However, the adjustment seemed to be associated with the ability to suppress emotions, which may have longer-term consequences for social and mental wellbeing (Chervonsky & Hunt, 2017; Hu et al., 2014).”
BackgroundRebellious yet apathetic: System justification and learned helplessness in collective action
Couto, C., & Pilati, R. (2024) · Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología · doi:10.14349/rlp.2024.v56.2 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Chervonsky, E., & Hunt, C.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Venue
- Emotion
- Published
- 2017-06
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 669-683
- ISSN
- 1528-3542 (ISSN-L)
- 1931-1516
- OpenAlex
- W2574358987
- Cited by
- 203
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 13.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Emotion (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Keywords
- emotional suppression, emotional expression, emotion regulation, social well-being, interpersonal outcomes, first impressions, social support, social satisfaction, romantic relationship quality, anger expression, negative emotion expression, positive emotion expression
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Child, Communication, Emotions, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Social Behavior, Young Adult
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