The effect of temporal goals on emotion regulation choice: a replication and extension

To test predictions of the extended process model of emotion regulation, we conducted a pre-registered replication and extension of Sheppes et al.'s Study 3 ([2014]. Emotion regulation choice: A conceptual framework and supporting evidence. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(1), 163-181. doi:10.1037/a0030831) on the effects of intensity and temporal goal on reappraisal choice. In the original study, participants chose reappraisal over distraction more in response to low intensity stimuli than high intensity stimuli and when given a long-term emotion regulation goal than an immediate emotion regulation goal. We attempted a replication in a larger sample and extended the research to test whether individual differences in the tendency to consider future consequences of one's actions (CFC) would moderate the effect of goal on emotion regulation choice. We replicated the effects of intensity, but not temporal goal, on choice. CFC interacted with temporal goal: participants low in CFC chose reappraisal more often if given a short-term goal than a long-term goal, but participants high in CFC chose reappraisal more often if given a long-term goal than a short-term goal. Although the effects of temporal goal did not replicate, our results suggest that it may interact with individual differences to influence emotion regulation choice. These findings contribute to a growing interest in factors that influence emotion regulation behaviour.