Counter-Regulation and Control-Dependency

Abstract

Two basic principles governing the motivational regulation of automatic affective processing are described and relevant evidence is reviewed. According to the counter-regulation principle, attention is automatically allocated to information that is opposite in valence to current motivational states: A positive outcome focus increases the salience of negative information whereas a negative outcome focus induces an attentional focus on positive information. Counter-regulation in automatic affective processing prevents motivational states from escalating or becoming chronic. According to the control-dependency principle, processing of information is characterized by a problem focus (negativity bias) if goal pursuit is experienced as controllable, whereas experiencing a lack of control over important outcomes is accompanied by an enhancement focus (positivity bias). Control-dependency of affective processing promotes persistent goal pursuit in the face of controllable challenges, and facilitates the acceptance of a given situation and disengagement from blocked goals.

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