| Summary: | This thesis explores the process of controlled affect regulation - the deliberate control of feelings and expressions - in terms of its dynamics. The thesis takes the perspective that affect is a dynamic and controllable process, regulated towards held goals, which themselves are controllable and dynamic. It is argued that affect regulation dynamics are underexplored, as are the dynamics of the related concepts of self-regulatory capacity and affect goal adjustment. A model of affect regulation dynamics (MARDy) is presented, which integrates affect regulation, self-regulatory capacity, and affect goal adjustment, within a control theory framework. A computational simulation of the MARDy model is constructed and known trends in affect are simulated. The model further offers predictions of affect dynamics and understanding of underlying mechanisms involved. Two studies are conducted to collect data for model representation. In Study 1, affect diary data are collected from five university staff and students. Parameter values for the model are derived from determining best fitting correlations of model results with the diary data across dimensions of felt-affect, self-regulatory capacity, felt-affect goals and affect-expression goals. In Study 2, affect diary data are collected from six teaching staff at a local primary school. This study extends beyond the first, to also incorporate data for affect-expressions. The capacity for the model to represent this second data set is assessed, using the protocol from Study 1. In a third, simulated, study, the model is extended to represent a network of two individuals. Propositions regarding affect dynamics across the dyad are made and tested in simulation. Considerations are offered for dyad representation in the affect regulation literature. The proposed dynamics of affect regulation, arising from model development and the three studies described, are discussed in terms of current literature; theoretical and practical implications of model results and propositions are discussed.
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