Unpacking reappraisal: different appraisal shifts underlie reappraisal effects on valence and activation

Reappraisal is a common emotion regulation strategy that involves adjusting how a situation is appraised. According to the reAppraisal framework, different reappraisals operate by shifting values along appraisal dimensions, such as relevance, certainty, congruence, controllability, and accountability. We investigated which appraisal shifts, measured at broad and granular levels, are involved in reappraisal targeting different affective states with different affective outcomes. In an online study (N = 510), participants read four illustrated vignettes designed to elicit positive and negative affect with high and low activation. They rated their negative affect, positive affect, affective activation, and appraisals of each situation before and after using reappraisal. Latent change score models revealed that changes in affective outcomes were significantly associated with shifts in conceptually related appraisal dimensions. Specifically, changes in negative and positive affect were related to shifts in congruence, while changes in activation were associated with shifts in relevance and controllability. Some appraisal shifts targeting different affective states were universal, while others specific to a single vignette. Many findings involved specific aspects of broad appraisal dimensions, underscoring the value of granular measurement. These findings strengthen the case for considering appraisal shifts among key cognitive mechanisms of reappraisal.