The influence of negative emotion intensity on emotion labeling regulation effect: an ERP study

Emotion labeling (EL) is an emotion regulation strategy. Emotion intensity is an important factor affecting the effectiveness of emotion regulation. This study aimed to explore the influence of emotional intensity on the immediate and lasting effects of EL by EEG technology.

This experiment employed a 2 (emotion intensity: high, low) × 3 (task: EL, content labeling, viewing) within-subject design, including two sessions. In the first session, participants completed the label selection task (measuring the immediate effect), and the picture was presented again after each trial of the label selection task (measuring short-term lasting effect). After the first session was completely over, the second session began in which the pictures presented in the first session were shown for third time (measuring long-term lasting effect). The valid data from thirty participants was collected by NeuroScan and analyzed offline using EEGLAB.

Under low-intensity condition, the alpha ERD degree was greater in the EL than in the viewing condition during the label selection phase. However, at the short-interval image re-presentation phase, the alpha ERD degree was smaller under the EL-history condition than under the viewing-history and content labeling-history conditions. In the long-interval image re-presentation phase, the LPP of high-intensity negative pictures was more positive under the EL-history than under the viewing-history condition, while the LPP of low-intensity negative pictures was smaller under the EL-history than under the viewing-history condition, showing different long-term effects.

EL is a beneficial emotion regulation strategy under low-intensity emotions, but not under high-intensity emotions.