Enhancing Reappraisal by Linking Cognitive Control and Emotion

In the current study we explored whether training individuals to recruit cognitive control prior to exposure to negative pictures can facilitate the propensity to use reappraisal and reappraisal success. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the training group, negative pictures were typically preceded by a stimulus that recruits cognitive control, whereas in the control group, negative pictures were typically preceded by a stimulus that does not recruit cognitive control. Participants were subsequently asked to reflect on a negative personal event and to later reappraise the event. As predicted, compared to participants in the control group, those in the training group were more likely to use reappraisal spontaneously, and when instructed to reappraise, were more successful in doing so. We argue that the ability to employ cognitive control has a causal role in reappraisal use and success.