The relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and autobiographical memory functions

Abstract

Autobiographical remembering serves three functions: self, social and directive (Bluck, 2003). However, different approaches debate whether emotion regulation (ER) is associated to these three functions or it serves a distinct function of autobiographical memory (Harris, Rasmussen & Berntsen, 2014). In the present study, we asked undergraduate students to recall three negative ABMs in which they employ one of brooding, cognitive reappraisal (CR) and thought suppression (TS) strategies and we compared the nature of ABMs retrieved for each ER strategy. Results showed that young adults prefer to employ all three ER strategies for their negative ABMs mostly in relationship content. In addition, brooding memories were higher in sensory detail and emotional intensity than memories for which CR was employed. Furthermore, CRemployed ABMs were more positive in emotional valence than ABMs in other ER strategy conditions. Regarding ABM functions, retrieving ER-employed ABMs have the purpose of problem solving which is similar to directive function.