The socialization of positive emotions: Implications for physical health and psychological adjustment

Abstract

Positive emotions have a wide range of benefits including increasing well-being, broadening cognitions, and buffering against the effects of stress, with implications for mental health. To date, however, research on positive emotions have not been integrated with developmental perspectives, particularly areas of emotion socialization, thus the development of positive emotions and its regulation in children is poorly understood. In this narrative review paper, we integrate positive psychology research with developmental science - particularly, the literature on emotion socialization, to examine how socialization processes in the family may affect the experience, expression, and regulation of positive emotions and consequently the extent to which positive emotions may in turn affect mental health. We first provide an overview of positive emotions, couch it in the context of emotion socialization, discuss relevant gaps, propose a conceptual model, and emphasize opportunities for future research.