Preferences for negative emotions
Magazine article, 2006

This research demonstrates that preference for emotions cannot be equated with a positive-negative valence dimension. An experiment is reported where participant were asked to make choices between pairs of affect-inducing options opposite in valence but equal in activation. The results showed that in absence of contextual cues or situational constraints, choices fol-lowed a pleasure-maximizing principle. However, when information was provided about a context cueing appropriateness of certain emotions over others, a preference reversal was ob-served so that negative emotions were preferred over positive emotions. These results are dis-cussed in relation to current hedonistic theories of choice and behaviour

Emotion

decision making

emotion regulation

choice

pleasure

arousal

Author

Daniel Västfjäll

Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Applied Acoustics

Tommy Gärling

University of Gothenburg

Emotion

326-329

Subject Categories

Psychology

More information

Created

10/7/2017