anger: The negative primary emotion that occurs when you are blocked or interrupted from attaining an important goal by what you see as the improper action of an external agent.

attention focus: Preventing unwanted emotions by intentionally devoting your attention only to aspects of an event or encounter that you know will not provoke those emotions. For example, you disregard your uncle’s snide comments while focusing all your interest on your aunt’s conversation.

blended emotions: Two or more primary emotions experienced at the same time. For instance, Melinda feels fear and anger when her daughter is not home after curfew.

catharsis: Within the field of interpersonal communication, the assumption that openly expressing emotions enables you to purge them.

chronic hostility: A persistent state of simmering or barely suppressed anger and constant negative thinking.

deactivation: Preventing unwanted emotions by systematically desensitizing yourself to emotional experience. For example, Josh insulates himself with numbness after his wife’s death.

emotion: An intense reaction to an event that involves interpreting the meaning of the event, becoming physiologically aroused, labeling the experience as emotional, attempting to manage your reaction, and communicating this reaction in the form of emotional displays and disclosures.

emotional contagion: The rapid spreading of emotion from person to person, such as anger running through a mob.

emotional intelligence: The ability to accurately interpret your and others’ emotions and use this information to manage emotions, communicate them competently, and solve relationship problems.

emotion management: Attempts to influence which emotions you have, when you have them, and how you experience and express them.

emotion-sharing: Disclosing your emotions to others.

encounter avoidance: Preventing unwanted emotions by keeping away from people, places, and activities likely to provoke them. For example, Jessica infuriates Roxanne, so Roxanne moves out of their shared apartment.

encounter structuring: Preventing unwanted emotions by intentionally avoiding discussion of difficult topics in encounters with others. For instance, Natalie and Julie avoid talking about living expenses because Natalie is jealous of Julie’s income.

feelings: Short-term emotional reactions to events that generate only limited arousal, such as the fleeting nostalgia you experience hearing a familiar song.

grief: Intense sadness that follows a substantial loss, such as the death of a loved one.

Jefferson strategy: A strategy to manage your anger that involves counting slowly to 10 before responding to someone who says or does something that makes you angry. (The strategy was named after the third president of the United States.)

moods: Low-intensity states of mind that are not caused by particular events and typically last longer than emotions. Examples include boredom, contentment, grouchiness, and serenity.

passion: A blended emotion of joy and surprise coupled with other positive feelings like excitement, amazement, and sexual attraction.

primary emotions: Six emotions that involve unique and consistent behavioral displays across cultures: anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise.

reappraisal: Actively changing how you think about the meaning of emotion-eliciting situations so that their emotional impact is changed. For instance, though previously fearful of giving a speech, Luke reduces his anxiety by repeating positive affirmations and getting excited about the chance to share what he knows.

supportive communication: Sharing messages that express emotional support and that offer personal assistance, such as telling a person of your sympathy or listening to someone without judging.

suppression: Inhibiting thoughts, arousal, and outward behavioral displays of emotion. For example, Amanda stifles her anger, knowing that showing her anger would kill her chances of receiving a good tip.

venting: Allowing emotions to dominate your thoughts and explosively expressing them, such as by shrieking in happiness or storming into an office in a rage.