Regulation of Positive Emotions in Daily Life: An Experience Sampling Study

Abstract The instrumental model of emotion regulation suggests that emotional preferences influence the selection of emotion regulation strategies, as individuals choose strategies that help attain their preferred emotional states. An empirical gap exists in whether such preferences prospectively predict subsequent emotion regulation strategy use. This study employed the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) to explore the prospective relationship between emotional preference for positive emotions and the subsequent use of emotion regulation strategies. This study also examined positive emotion regulation characteristics of individuals with varying levels of depression severity. The sample comprised nonclinical undergraduate and graduate students ( N = 108, 72.22% female, M = 20.54 years, SD = 4.84 years) who reported their momentary preferences for positive emotions and use of emotion regulation strategies four times a day over 10 days in their daily lives. Results indicated that a stronger momentary preference for positive emotions predicted greater subsequent use of emotion‐focused positive rumination. No significant association was found with self‐focused positive rumination or dampening. Elevated depression severity was associated with greater overall use of dampening and less use of self‐focused and emotion‐focused positive rumination. These findings suggest that individuals regulate positive emotions in alignment with the hedonic principle, seeking to maximize positive emotional experiences. However, individuals with elevated depression severity displayed a distinct pattern of emotion regulation characterized by increased downregulation and decreased upregulation of positive emotions.