Chapter 21: The Social Matrix of Emotion Expression and Regulation

Sally Planalp & Sandra Metts & Sarah J. Tracy

The social matrix of emotion expression and regulation Emotional expression and regulation are integrally tiedtothe dynamics of interaction and serve important functions for individuals, dyads, organizations, and cultures. In this chapter, we summarize theories and empirical research that illustrate the intersection among emotion experience, expression, and regulation and the ways in which this intersection is manifested in and shaped by communication processes. We begin with two fundamental questions: What do we mean by emotion, expression, and regulation, and what are the theoretical approaches that frame their analysis? Scholars disagree about definitions of emotion and even debate whether such discussions are worthwhile (Bard & Cornelius, 2007). They generally agree, however, that emotions are complicated phenomena whose workings, especially in the social world, are best captured by studying them from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Most researchers either posit working definitions or proceed with implicit definitions they believe will be palatable to ...

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