Studies // Cited work

Emotion elicits the social sharing of emotion: Theory and empirical review

Rimé, B. (2009). Emotion elicits the social sharing of emotion: Theory and empirical review.

Level D Review doi:10.1177/1754073908097189

What this study supports

Supports the claims that emotional experiences commonly elicit social sharing and that sharing has interpersonal functions. Narrative review largely of the author's own research programme.

Who was studied
Not applicable: a theoretical and empirical review of the social sharing of emotion.
Design
Review
Level of evidence
Cross-sectional, observational, qualitative work and narrative reviews.

Claims that rest on it

Each claim states what the site asserts, at what strength, and with what caveat.

EmpiricalLevel BConfidence MODERATE

Participants who talked about a negative emotional experience rated the conversation as helpful, but the emotional impact of the memory was not reduced compared with control conditions.

Scope
Two experiments with follow-up up to two months in non-clinical participants.
Caveat
The idea that sharing helps when it supports cognitive work is an interpretation consistent with this research, not a result tested in these experiments.

Last reviewed · Review due · talking-perceived-not-measured-benefit

EmpiricalLevel DConfidence HIGH

People share most of their emotional experiences with others, and sharing has interpersonal functions such as eliciting attention, empathy and support.

Scope
Research on the social sharing of emotion across ages and cultures.
Caveat
Evidence comes mostly from one research programme and relies heavily on self-report.

Last reviewed · Review due · social-sharing-common

TheoreticalLevel DConfidence MODERATE

Rimé's account proposes that sharing an emotion reactivates emotional arousal in speaker and listener, strengthens social bonds and propagates through secondary sharing, contributing to collective emotional climates.

Scope
A theoretical account illustrated with findings from the author's research programme.
Caveat
The collective predictions (emotional climate, collective memory) are less directly tested than the individual findings.

Last reviewed · Review due · sharing-reactivates-and-bonds