Emotion differentiation involves labeling emotions with a high degree of granularity and specificity. The ability to distinguish between similarly valenced emotions—particularly negative emotions—has been linked to greater well-being and reduced psychopathology. Theoretically, these benefits may arise because a clear and nuanced understanding of one’s emotions provides actionable information, supporting more effective responses in emotional situations. In other words, knowing what you feel may help you know what to do about it.
In this talk, I will present work supporting this idea, including studies that explore the links between emotion differentiation and emotion regulation motives, strategies, and contexts in everyday life.