Emotional Granularity

In Concept Corner, I share constructs that pique my interest as I am engaging with professional literature related to positive psychology, giftedness, neurodiversity, well-being, emotional health… Posts will be updated as I dig deeper.

Also known as “emotional differentiation”, this is the skill of going beyond basic labels and getting really specific about our emotional experience (e.g., precisely differentiating between frustration, irritation, and anger).

Why might this matter?

When we can clearly pinpoint what we’re feeling, it gives us the freedom to engage with our emotions with more flexibility and compassion. This level of insight allows us to respond more constructively, and it can contribute to our overall well-being.

Resources to explore:

• Barrett, L. F., Gross, J., Christensen, T. C., & Benvenuto, M. (2001). Knowing what you're feeling and knowing what to do about it: Mapping the relation between emotion differentiation and emotion regulation. Cognition and Emotion, 15(6), 713-724.

• Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 865-878.

• Lee, H. H., Ayduk, O. N., & Boykin, C. M. (2020). Emotional granularity and emotion regulation strategies in daily life. Emotion, 20(2), 354-365.

• Tugade, M. M., Fredrickson, B. L., & Feldman Barrett, L. (2004). Psychological resilience and positive emotional granularity: Examining the benefits of positive emotions on coping and health. Journal of Personality, 72(6), 1161-1190.