The paradox of perceived control: A contextual approach to emotion regulation

Emotions arise not only from internal appraisals but also from the broader situational contexts in which those appraisals are made. Among these, perceived control is a well-established predictor of emotional well-being. However, its influence on affective responses may vary depending on contextual factors-an area that remains insufficiently explored. Across two preregistered experiments, we examine the moderating effects of acute stress and evaluative feedback on the relationship between perceived control and affective states. Study 1 (N = 321) employed an adapted Trier Social Stress Test to create high- and low-stress conditions and found perceived control to be associated with greater positive affect under low-stress and lower negative affect under high-stress conditions. Perceived control showed differential associations with affect across stress conditions, such that its affective benefits were contingent on contextual stress. Extending these findings, Study 2 (N = 322) utilized a similar high-stress condition to Study 1 and manipulated evaluative feedback in three conditions (i.e., positive, negative, and no-feedback conditions). Results indicated that negative feedback diminished the emotional benefits of perceived control on positive affect, while positive and no feedback allowed its protective influence on negative affect to persist. Together, these findings provide nuanced insights into how perceived control interacts with contextual factors to shape affective states. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).