ERIC Number: EJ1006368
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Feb
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0010-0277
EISSN: N/A
Executive Well-Being: Updating of Positive Stimuli in Working Memory Is Associated with Subjective Well-Being
Pe, Madeline Lee; Koval, Peter; Kuppens, Peter
Cognition, v126 n2 p335-340 Feb 2013
A growing literature shows that the ability to control affective information in working memory (WM) plays an important role in emotional functioning. Whereas most studies have focused on executive processes relating to emotion dysregulation and mood disorders, few, if any, have looked at such processes in association with happiness. In this study, we examined whether the ability to update positive and negative stimuli in WM (assessed with an affective n-back task) is related to the cognitive and affective components of subjective well-being. Participants who were better at retaining and updating specifically positive (not negative) information in WM displayed higher levels of life satisfaction and affect balance, both at the trait level and in daily life. These results suggest that effective updating of positive information in WM may underlie happy people's ability to maintain and further enhance positive thoughts and emotions. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Self Efficacy, Well Being, Stimuli, Short Term Memory, Life Satisfaction, Affective Behavior, Self Control, Executive Function, Psychological Patterns
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A