Up-regulating positive emotions in everyday life: Strategies, individual differences, and associations with positive emotion and well-being

0092-6566/$ see front matter 2012 Elsevier Inc. A http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2012.05.009 ⇑ Corresponding author. Address: Department of Ps Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA. E-mail address: [email protected] (K.M. Living This research aimed to identify strategies people use to up-regulate positive emotions, and examine associations with personality, emotion regulation, and trait and state positive experience. In Study 1, participants reported use of 75 regulation strategies and trait emotional experience. Principal component analysis revealed three strategy domains: engagement (socializing, savoring), betterment (goal pursuit, personal growth), and indulgence (substance use, fantasy). In Study 2, participants reported state-level regulation and emotional experience. Engagement correlated with greater state and trait positive emotion, and overall greater well-being. Betterment correlated with less state, but greater trait, positive emotion. Indulgence correlated with greater state, but less trait positive emotion and overall lower wellbeing. This research suggests trade-offs between short-term and long-term emotional consequences of different strategies. 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.