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The association between controlled interpersonal affect regulation and resource depletion
David Martínez-Íñigo1, Giulia Lara Poerio, Peter Totterdell
1Psychology Department, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain. david.martinez@urjc.es
Applied Psychology. Health and Well-Being
|April 30, 2013
Summary
Interpersonal Affect Regulation (IAR) depletes self-regulatory resources, especially when worsening others' emotions. Positive social feedback can mitigate this depletion when improving affect, highlighting the role of social reactions in resource conservation.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Self-Regulation Studies
- Emotional Labor Research
Background:
- Investigates self-regulatory resource depletion during Interpersonal Affect Regulation (IAR).
- Integrates the strength model of self-regulation and the resource conservation model.
- Examines how goal-directed IAR behaviors impact ego-depletion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if IAR behaviors positively relate to ego-depletion.
- To determine if affect-improving strategies benefit from resource recovery via positive feedback.
- To explore the resource implications of influencing others' emotional states.
Main Methods:
- A laboratory experiment using a dual-task paradigm with pairs of friends.
- A longitudinal field study involving healthcare workers in Spain.
- Utilized experimental and correlational designs to assess IAR and ego-depletion.
Main Results:
- Experimental study: Interpersonal affect-improving IAR depleted resources for subsequent tasks.
- Field study: Affect-worsening IAR correlated with emotional exhaustion (depletion).
- Field study: Affect-improving IAR associated with depletion, moderated by positive client feedback.
Conclusions:
- Interpersonal Affect Regulation significantly impacts self-regulatory resource depletion.
- Social reactions, particularly positive feedback, can buffer against IAR-induced depletion.
- Understanding social dynamics is crucial for managing the costs of IAR.
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