Extending the Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions Through an Actor-Partner Interdependence Analysis of Emerging Adults and Their Mothers

• In Event: Communicating Intergenerationally and About Aging

Abstract

The broaden and build theory of positive emotions (BBTPE) argues that positive emotions facilitate broadening perspectives and building resources. In this article, we make three theoretical contributions to BBTPE. First, we apply BBTPE to communication constructs by examining how emotional experiences predict cognitive flexibility, social skills, and social support. Second, we theorize and test the role of negative emotions in the broadening and building process. Third, we add a relational component to the theory by testing how partner emotions predict broadening and building outcomes among dyads. To test these expansions, we conducted Actor-Partner Interdependence models using multi-level modeling with reports from 148 mother-child dyads (N = 296). We observed that positive emotions positively predicted all three communication-based dependent variables for mothers and adult children, whereas negative emotions negatively predicted those outcomes. Partner effects from the models also revealed that partner emotional experiences can predict broadening and building outcomes.

Authors

• Timothy Curran, Utah State U

• Kristina M. Scharp, The University of Washington