Relationships as Inputs and Outputs of Emotion Regulation

The three target articles presented in this issue add to a growing body of literature in social psychology that focuses on the "executive function" of the self (Baumeister, 1998). That is, in these target articles the self is viewed as a regulator of mood or emotion. This perspective expands on the relationship between emotion and self-regulation by identifying emotion as not only a by-product of self-control (Carver & Scheier, 1990) but also as an explicit object of self-regulation. Tice and Bratslavsky (this issue) note that certain executive functions of the self with respect to emotion are similar to those in other domains of self-control. For instance, they note that individuals hold standards for appropriate emotional expression, monitor their actions with respect to their emotions, and assert control to obtain long-term goals. In his target article, Larsen (this issue) also shows that how the self functions as a controller in the emotional domain is similar to other control processes. He applies a general cybernetic control model to mood. According to this model an individual's current mood is compared to a desired mood state making mood the object of self-regulation. When discrepancies between the current mood and the desired mood are detected the self acts in its executive function capacity to invoke regulatory mechanisms intended to effect changes in the situation. Erber and Erber (this issue) present empirical data that document that individuals' use of regulatory mechanisms is dependent on their appraisals of the social constraints in a given situation. In their target article, the Erbers give concrete examples of the self as a regulator of mood highlighting the executive function of the self with respect to emotion. Whereas collectively these target articles stress the executive function of the self with respect to emotion, they also make assumptions about the interpersonal antecedents and consequences of emotion regulation. Because we feel that relationships provide a context that is definitely implicated in a science of mood regulation, in this commentary we emphasize and expand on the role of relationships in emotion regulation. Aspects of all three target articles point to the ties between emotion regulation and relationships. Erber and Erber focus on the effects of specific types of others in moderating mood control motives. Whereas the Erbers note that some of the individual differences that determine individuals' regulatory strategies may not be social, many behavioral traits, and beliefs and cognitions that are related to an individuals' regulatory styles are associated with family relationships (Calkins, 1994). Furthermore, many of Larsen's six potential mechanisms of individual differences may have been influenced by individuals' experiences with their caregivers. Cassidy's (1994) review, for instance, suggests that individuals' internal working models of their attachment relationships relate to their attention to affect (Larsen, Box 1), use of regulation mechanisms (Larsen, Box 2), perception of current affective states (Larsen, Box 4), discrepancy sensitivity (Larsen, Box 5), and beliefs about the optimal affective state (Larsen, Box 6). Finally, individuals' tendencies to underregulate or misregulate their emotion (Tice & Bratslavsky, this issue) may also be influenced by relationship contexts and ultimately influence relationship outcomes. We are inspired by these target articles to share our thoughts and data about relationships and emotion regulation. Across the life span, relationships serve as both inputs and outputs for emotion regulation; that is relationships serve as a context for the development of emotion regulation and emotion regulation is a key component of socially competent relationships. In the sections that follow, we give examples that illustrate how these processes may operate in infancy and early childhood, and adolescence and young adulthood.