For a Happier Life, Reframe Your Emotions

Many of us go through our days riding emotional waves – driving along feeling carefree, then flooded with frustration about a traffic jam ahead, and suddenly rocked by anxiety at the thought of arriving late for work – often believing that our feelings at any given moment are beyond our control. But a classic psychological theory suggests we may have more command of our emotions than we realize.

Conceptualizing Emotion

Back in 1962, psychologists Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer unveiled their “Two-Factor Theory of Emotion.” The gist of the theory is that our physiology is not built to reflect the wide range of emotions that our brains can conceive. Our bodies tell us that we feel something, and our brains interpret what that feeling is.

Physiologically, we operate on a continuum of arousal, like the volume dial on a radio, ranging from indistinguishable to maximum activation. Intensity is the only dimension of emotion our bodies can register. It is the brain’s job to put a name to that emotion.

Usually, the source of an emotion is so apparent that physical intensity and cognitive labels match perfectly. If a cobra should slither into your living room, your arousal level would likely shoot to maximum volume and your brain would register terror. If you arrive on time for your dental cleaning only to be left in a waiting room for three hours with nothing to read but a poster depicting the course of gingivitis, both your brain and your body will likely register increasing levels of annoyance.

But sometimes our bodies tell us we are feeling something, and we have to look for cues in our environment to figure out what that feeling is. This is where things get interesting.

Schachter and Singer demonstrated this by telling experimental participants they were receiving an injection of vitamins, but actually giving them a shot of epinephrine, a hormone that causes physiological arousal. Participants were then asked to wait for what they thought would be a vision test. The real experiment happened in the waiting room.

Each participant waited with one other person, a confederate planted by the researchers. With some of the participants, the confederate acted euphoric; with others, he acted angry.

The participants, soon experiencing the unexplained physiological effects of the injection, were left to figure out what emotion was responsible. According to the theory, they looked for clues in their environment and found them in the confederate’s behavior. Those who were waiting with the euphoric confederate often mirrored his mood, acting euphoric themselves, while those with the angry confederate also displayed anger.

Reframing Emotions

Once we realize that our physiology doesn’t dictate our feelings, we are free to train our brains to re-label unpleasant emotions. Of course, this is not always possible – and not very smart in situations like when the cobra arrives in the living room. But sometimes we can use this knowledge to reframe our experiences and improve our lives.

Example 1: The Anxious Job Candidate

Imagine you’ve been selected to interview for your dream job. As the time for the interview approaches, your anxiety level rises. You worry your nervousness will interfere with your presentation, which only makes you more anxious.

Reframing: Remember, your body is only the volume control. The physiological arousal your brain is interpreting as “anxiety” is precisely the same as the pleasant emotion of “excitement.” Re-labeling the interview experience as exciting could transform it from a dreaded ordeal and inject energy into your performance.

Example 2: The Boring Afternoon

Imagine it’s a cold, rainy day. You have nothing to do, no one to talk to, and nothing interests you on TV. You are bored.

Reframing: Your brain is labeling your low level of arousal as the unpleasant state of boredom. Yet that same physiological state can be experienced as “calm” or “contentment.” So rather than suffering through endless hours in Dullsville, you can consciously reframe the feeling and enjoy a blissful, stress-free day.

Example 3: The Dying Relationship

Imagine the relationship that used to be so thrilling is losing its luster.

Reframing: Here we are taking the two-factor theory to another level. Excitement and attraction are both pleasant emotions at the higher level of the physiological volume control. To add a spark to the relationship, engage in an exciting activity together. Ride the tallest roller-coaster at an amusement park, ski the expert trail, or stay home and watch a thriller on TV. The physiological arousal that comes from the exciting activity can be re-labeled as renewed attraction to your partner.

One More Trick: Be Happy Because You’re Smiling

In 1988, researchers found that holding a pencil in your teeth horizontally, which forces your lips into a smile, triggers brain chemicals linked to positive emotions. So, a smile, even a fake one, can make us feel happier.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Reframing emotions takes practice – conscious, intentional practice. It works best when emotions are not already at the extreme ends of the spectrum. Expecting to end a full-blown panic attack by re-labeling it as excitement is probably unrealistic. But when experiencing a moderately unpleasant feeling, think of a positive emotion of a similar magnitude. Then close your eyes and tune in to the physical feeling while envisioning the pleasant emotion. And to enhance the positive feeling, remember to put a smile on your face.

Over the years, these classic studies have been widely tested. Not all of the research has produced the same results, and competing theories of emotion have been offered. But none of that really matters if, by reframing your emotions, you can reduce your stress level and increase your overall happiness. So why not give it a try?

Sources:

Schachter, S. and Singer, J. E. Cognitive, social and physiological determinants of emotional states. Psychological Review. 1962; 69: 379-399.

Strack, F., Martin, L. L., & Stepper, S. (1988). Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: A nonobtrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(5), 768–777.