The Development of Emotion Regulation: Effects on Emotional State and Expression

Emotion regulation may be defined as behavior aimed at changing feelings in a desired direction. That the change is in a desired direction is inferred from the term regulation, which implies purposeful action of a regulator or governing mechanism. Behavior, in this context, should be broadly defined to include not only easily observed actions but also physiological changes and cognitions. We use the term "feelings" here to refer to a similarly broad class of responses: Feelings may be either physiological states or the subjective awareness and experience of emotion that is influenced by both physiological response and personal interpretation (Schacter & Singer, 1962).