How Emotional Regulation Shapes Perception
Researchers at the University of Minho in Portugal have found that recognizing anger in others’ faces depends on how individuals regulate their own emotions.
Miraz.tv reports that according to a study published in the journal Cognition and Emotion, individuals who habitually suppress their anger take longer and find it harder to notice angry facial expressions, particularly when the emotion is subtle.
Open Expression vs. Emotional Suppression
In contrast, people who express their feelings openly recognize anger and irritation in other people’s facial expressions much faster and more accurately.
The study of 60 participants demonstrates that emotional perception is not an identical universal process for everyone; a person’s own emotional habits directly influence how they read the emotions of others.
