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. 1998 Sep;2(3):300-319.
doi: 10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.300.

What Good Are Positive Emotions?

Barbara L Fredrickson  1
Affiliations

What Good Are Positive Emotions?

Barbara L Fredrickson. Rev Gen Psychol. 1998 Sep.

Abstract

This article opens by noting that positive emotions do not fit existing models of emotions. Consequently, a new model is advanced to describe the form and function of a subset of positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment, and love. This new model posits that these positive emotions serve to broaden an individual's momentary thought-action repertoire, which in turn has the effect of building that individual's physical, intellectual, and social resources. Empirical evidence to support this broaden-and-build model of positive emotions is reviewed, and implications for emotion regulation and health promotion are discussed.

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