Abstract
It is argued that insufficient attention has been paid to the nature and processes underlying positive experiences. An analogy is drawn between coping with negative events and the processes of taking advantage of, or capitalizing on, positive events. It was hypothesized that expressive displays (e.g., communicating the event to others, celebrating, etc.) and perceived control would be effective capitalizing responses after positive events. These responses were predicted to augment the benefits of the events on temporary moods and longer-term well-being. Two daily-diary studies of college undergraduates showed that expressive responses and perceived control were associated with positive affect above and beyond the benefits due to the valence of the positive events themselves
Keywords
PsychologyCoping (psychology)Social psychologyDevelopmental psychologyCognitive psychologyClinical psychology
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1994
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1112-1125
- Citations
- 564
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Christopher Langston
(1994).
Capitalizing on and coping with daily-life events: Expressive responses to positive events..
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
, 67
(6)
, 1112-1125.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1112
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1112