Emotion regulation does not have a single definition yet. Different authors define it differently (Macklem, 2008, p.2). All agree that internal processes are involved but many do not consider overt behavior as a lack of regulation of emotions. Whether external regulation can be spoken and whether there is voluntary and involuntary regulation is still ambiguous. There is also no final agreement on anticipatory emotion. Cole et al define emotion regulation as the changes that are associated with emotions once they are triggered by some event or situation (2004). It is a group of processes that a person might use to call up a positive or negative emotion, hold onto the emotion, control it, or change it, and then differentiate between the feelings of emotion and how emotion might be displayed according to Bridges, Margie and Zaff (2001). Ten years earlier, emotions were believed to affect behavioral reactions associated with intrinsic and extrinsic actions (Thompson, 1991). Emotions could also be managed by a person such that a particular emotion could be used for a purpose. There is a difficult to differentiate emotion from emotional regulation.
Emotion regulation is a common everyday experience (Morris & Reilly, 1987; Rippere, 1977). People take it for granted and perhaps only notice when it is absent, e.g. when a child throws a temper tantrum (Thompson, 1991), or a friend shows little interest in our good news (Gross & Mufioz, 1995). The term “emotional suppression” is used by Gross in the sense of an act, which is the conscious inhibition of behavioral signs of emotion, while emotionally aroused (Gross & Levenson, 1993).
Important functions are motivated by emotions. We prepare for action, make decisions, make judgments about the environment or situation we are in and also gauge other’s intentions (Macklem, 2008, p. 3). By controlling the extent is how we regulate emotions which could have positive or negative effects. Involvement of definite aims or goals determines the kind of emotion expressed. Several concepts have been found in literature. Emotion regulation, emotional regulation, affect regulation, mood, coping, stress reduction, self-regulation, effortful control, and self-control are the several concepts (Macklem, 2008, p. 3). Students who face threatening events, cutting remarks by a peer, or a perceived attack on self-esteem experience the emotion of anger or anxiety, or fear. This negative effect has to be coped with and the stress reduced through strategies like “thinking of something else, trying to relax, speaking assertively, or walking away from the situation” (Macklem, 2008, p. 4). This helps to reduce the intensity of negative emotions. Self-control is another concept that helps the students to adjust to their environment by controlling their responses and impulses. Better self-control would help them get better grades, adjust better, have relationships and respond in appropriate emotional behaviors. Good self-control helps them to be more competent social preschoolers and have better social functioning as noted by parents. They are more popular with a higher social status and get good grades (Macklem, 2008, p. 5). Refocusing attention can produce effortful control. In an environmental situation that triggers strong emotion, a student must be able to initiate and inhibit action. Effortful control can reduce the heat of the moment. It is a method of self-regulation and is a predictor of positive social functioning.
Emotion regulation is a series of events as described by Menesini (1999). It consists of the input regulation, central regulation and output regulation. A disturbance of the sequence could prevent the regulation. Failure cannot occur due to any individual factor (Behncke, 2002).
Many skills help in regulating emotions. Facial and bodily expressions can help one to interpret the emotion involved. The clarity with which a young person can express his emotions, how aware he is of his own emotions, how well he can understand his emotional triggers, the way he can manage the intensity of the emotion are all skills of his handling emotional stress (Ziedner, Mathews and Roberts , 2006.).
The regulation of emotions identifies 5 processes: Situation selection, Situation modification Attentional deployment, Cognitive change and Response modulation (Gross, 1998 b). The four processes at the beginning are antecedent focused and the fifth is response focused.
(Beauregard, Levesque, and Paquette, 2004). Emotion regulation has components of “the latency, rise time, magnitude, duration, and offset of responses in behavioral, experiential or physiological domains” (Gross 1998a, p. 288). The student must be able to have emotions without being overcome by them and maintain social appropriateness. His behavior should not disturb the thread of interaction proceeding. Young people who can regulate emotions are less vulnerable to stress and inappropriate behavior (Pardini, Lochman, and Wells, 2004). Those who find it difficult to control emotions are more vulnerable to stress (Salovey, 2006).
Central emotion regulation is significant in modulating the functioning of students. Cognitive processing has a relevance for practitioners who are helping students. The work of the practitioners includes designing specific interventions for helping students to plan and prioritize, learning to distract themselves in challenges, to reframe events and situations where they react excessively and challenging the concerns of others (Macklem, 2008, p. 9).
Culture has a definite influence on the students. Considering the vast number of cultures evident in universities and colleges, efforts must be made to have more research in this field (Eisenberg et al, 2004). Measures of emotion regulation applicable to students need to be made available. Evidence-based practices to strengthen emotional regulation must be studied further. Strategies to help the students modify their emotional regulation need to be identified for the implementation among them. They must be identified and grouped so that the interventions which are best suited to each of them are understood. The students who need help may be the ones who are more vulnerable than their peers. The highly dysregulated ones with a history of trauma would require another set of interventions. Much research has been done in this field and good interventions are available even now. However, more research would give better ideas and streamline according to individual needs. It is believed that training can modify an approach or intervention. Exercise and relaxation can improve emotional regulation as found in recent research (Muraven and Baumeister 2000). “Every child capable of developing a resilient mini-set of strategies will be able to deal more effectively with stress and pressure, to cope with everyday challenges, to bounce back from disappointments, adversity and trauma, to develop clear and realistic goals, to solve problems, to relate comfortably with others, and to treat oneself and others with respect.”(Goldstein and Brooks, 2005). This just suggests more strongly that training can help.
In each class of school a child’s emotional regulation would have advanced and it demonstrates age-appropriate competency (Cole, Dennis et al, 2004). This adequacy is demonstrated at college and university levels too. Many children do not achieve their age-wise competency. Affective dysregulation begins from childhood trauma (Plattner, 2007, p.156). The factors which influence their progressing competency are “personal history, early development and training, the context in which an emotion is felt, and the culture or cultures in which the student must function” (Macklem, 2008, p.10). Insecure attachments, temperament, language are some of the factors which affect emotional regulation. The point must be remembered that some instances accept intensity of emotion as in a cheering field and when opening a much-desired gift. Variation in expectation and tolerance level may also influence a child’s emotional regulation. Some college lecturers tolerate intense emotion while others prefer quiet students. Variation in cognitive abilities, knowledge and the ability to use strategies influence regulation. The same children who had problems in school would go on to being problematic youth studying in universities. They would be carrying their problems into university life.
Research has shown that individuals are able to suppress or control their responses to different stimuli depending on culture, social context or emotional intelligence. They can consciously hold back on/inhibit an unacceptable impulse, thought or feeling. There is an increasing recognition that individuals exert control of their emotions using a wide range of strategies, “individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them and how they experience and express them” (Gross 1998b, p. 275). Other researchers have attempted to determine that individuals differ systematically in their use of particular emotion regulation strategies and question if these differences have important implications for adaptation.
This study aims to explore in more detail how emotional regulation may vary depending on gender. The role of emotions in students’ life would be understood better with this research. It is worthwhile knowing how attention and behavior are influenced by emotions (Macklem, 2008, p. 12). Emotion could be a motivator for studies (Cole, Martin, et al, 2004). Students have different reasons for studying well. Most work hard not to fail and others avoid work to reduce anxiety. It would be useful to study more about what students do for emotional regulation and how it affects their life stresses and their academic performances. The objective is to help them learn that their emotions can be regulated and there are definite methods to do so. The information obtained may be imparted to their mentors in university, psychologists and all staff so that the students may be helped on occasions that call for them. The staff needs to understand the relationship between emotional regulation and general adjustment (Macklem, 2008, p. 12). “Healthy socialization, positive relationships with others and academic success” depend greatly on emotional regulation. The significance of training the students in emotional regulation must be stressed. This study has framed many relevant questions for investigation. Is there a difference in the emotional regulation suppression of women compared to men? Are women more prone to emotional expression than men or that men are conditioned to hold back/hide their real emotions? Is there any relationship between the approach of academic exams and the level of stress for the students? Are there any differences between female and male students in their academic and life stress? Is there any relationship between self-esteem and the level of both academic and life stress? The study will explore the hypothesis that individuals differ systematically in their use of particular emotion regulation strategies.
A questionnaire is being used to gather the information. Questions will be targeted to try and encourage/promote different responses from different genders. The questionnaire has been selected as the tool for this study since the area of interest is in the considered response of different genders to a question. The exact content of the questionnaire will be provided by the University. Participants for the survey will be from the students of different Universities. The relationship between the effect which stress can have on both academic and outside life for the students is being focused upon. The study is aimed at finding out if there is significant evidence of emotion regulation suppression resulting from the subordinate nature of this relationship. Does the individual student behave according to how they are treated? Does this produce any effect on the individual student’s well-being/health? Is difference between men and women expected? What effect, if any, will there be on the individual student’s academic progress?
Analysis of the results of the survey will be carried out using either Factorial Variance Analysis (ANOVA) or Regression Analysis (based on correlation design) or both if necessary.
The proposed timetable for this study from initial approval date is as follows:
The primary sources of academic research will be; Morris & Reilly (1987); Rippere, (1977), Thompson (1991), Gross & Mufioz (1995), Abouserie R. (1995), Gross & Levenson, (1993) and J.J.Gross and fellow associates (1998), Mackelm, (2008), Plattner (2007).
The participants in the targeted survey size will be 80 – 100 students from different Universities. Each participating student will be given one questionnaire which would take approximately 30-40 minutes to complete. All surveys would be completed within 1 month of distribution so that sufficient time is made available to analyze data and propose any conclusions from the study. Targeted students will be invited to participate in this research using the letter of introduction. The letter covers a brief description of the research, how the individual will be involved and explains that the questionnaire survey will be conducted anonymously and the output stored in a secure location. The participants need not fear trespass on their privacy. Ethical considerations concerning willingness and the secrecy of the findings would be specially taken care of.
The remainder of the study will be based on the research into the series of researches that have dealt with the subject of emotion regulation and its expression in students and how different researchers have investigated the subject and the outcomes. Any gaps in the literature would hopefully be revealed and the significance of this study would be evident. Chapter 3 would outline the methodology for conducting the research.
References
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