![]() Broadened thought-action repertoires gain significance because they can build a variety of personal resources ( Fredrickson, 1998, 2001). Whereas the narrowed thought-action repertoires of negative emotions were likely adaptive to our ancestors within specific threatening instances, the broadened thought-action repertoires of positive emotions were likely adaptive over the long-run. Instead, they are distinct and complementary: Whereas many negative emotions narrow individuals’ momentary thought-action repertoires 1 by calling forth specific action tendencies (e.g., attack, flee), many positive emotions broaden individuals’ momentary thought-action repertoires, prompting them to pursue a wider range of thoughts and actions than is typical (e.g., play, explore, savour, and integrate Fredrickson, 1998, 2001). If positive emotions do not share with negative emotions this hallmark feature of promoting and supporting specific action, then what good are they? Do positive emotions have any evolved adaptive value? Fredrickson’s (1998, 2001) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions suggests so, but contends that the form and function of positive and negative emotions are not isomorphic. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions To the extent that autonomic reactivity supports specific action tendencies, these two observations go hand-in-hand: If no specific action is called forth during positive emotional states, then no particular pattern of autonomic reactivity should be expected. A second is that positive emotions are often characterised by a relative lack of autonomic reactivity ( Levenson, Ekman, & Friesen, 1990). One is that the action tendencies identified for positive emotions (e.g., free activation in joy, inactivity in contentment) are vague, better described as nonspecific than specific ( Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998). ![]() We base this conclusion on multiple observations within the scattered empirical and theoretical literature on positive emotions. Although most emotion theorists who discuss specific action tendencies extend their theorising to include positive emotions like joy and contentment (e.g., Frijda, 1986 Lazarus, 1991), we have argued ( Fredrickson, 1998 Fredrickson & Branigan, 2001 Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998) that such extension is unwarranted.
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