The suppression of positive emotions and its social benefits in outperformance situations

Abstract

Previous research implies that the expression of positive emotions in social interactions has social benefits, while suppressing such emotions may entail social costs. However, prior research also has suggested that individuals might fear that expressing positive emotions will lead to negative social responses in outperformance situations (e.g., in situations in which they experience success while other individuals experience failure). In the present work, we predict that in these specific situations, individuals will suppress their positive emotions and that this suppression will be socially rewarded. We tested these hypotheses in a series of three experimental studies with high school students. In the first study (N = 33), using a within-participants design, we showed that participants suppressed positive emotions after success more when they were in a social situation in which outperformed others were present (in the presence of classmates) in comparison to a social situation in which outperformed others were not present (in the presence of parents). In a second study (N = 57), we asked participants to recall a situation of personal success in which others were present who either had also experienced a success or had experienced a failure. Results confirmed that participants suppressed positive emotions in the situation with outperformed others more than in the situation with equally performing others. In a final study (N = 195), we investigated the social consequences of suppressing positive emotions. In a video scenario, we manipulated other individuals’ performance outcomes (success vs. failure) and the target person’s expression of positive emotions after success (happiness suppressed vs. happiness not suppressed). Results showed that participants liked and accepted the target person more when this person suppressed positive emotions in comparison to when the target’s emotions were not suppressed, but only in the presence of outperformed others.