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Can irony regulate negative emotion? Evidence from behaviour and ERPs.

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Title: Can irony regulate negative emotion? Evidence from behaviour and ERPs.
Authors: Pfeifer, Valeria A. (AUTHOR), Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R. (AUTHOR), Lai, Vicky T. (AUTHOR)
Source: Cognition & Emotion. Nov2025, Vol. 39 Issue 7, p1737-1747. 11p.
Subjects: Irony, Emotion regulation, Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology), Behavioral sciences, Cognitive restructuring therapy, Affect (Psychology)
Abstract: This study used ratings and event-related potentials (ERPs) to compare the mechanisms through which verbal irony and cognitive reappraisal mitigate negative emotion. Verbal irony is when the literal meaning of words contrasts with their intended meaning. Cognitive reappraisal is when we reconsider emotional stimuli to make them less intense. Our hypothesis was that cognitive reappraisal is a potential mechanism through which irony reduces negative emotion. Participants viewed mildly negative pictures first, then read an ironic or literal statement about it in one block, and used cognitive reappraisal of or attending to the picture in the other block. Participants then viewed the picture for a second time, before rating how negative they felt. Behaviourally, irony reduced negative feelings more than literal statements, and reappraisal reduced negative feelings more than attending, with a larger reduction from reappraisal than from irony. In ERPs, irony elicited a prolonged N400 compared to literal, indexing an initial contrast between picture and word affect and sustained processing of their combination. Cognitive reappraisal elicited a larger late positivity compared to attending at the instruction screen. No differences were found during second picture presentation. These findings suggest that irony and cognitive reappraisal can reduce negative affect in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Cognition & Emotion is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Can irony regulate negative emotion? Evidence from behaviour and ERPs.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pfeifer%2C+Valeria+A%2E%22">Pfeifer, Valeria A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrews-Hanna%2C+Jessica+R%2E%22">Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lai%2C+Vicky+T%2E%22">Lai, Vicky T.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Cognition+%26+Emotion%22">Cognition & Emotion</searchLink>. Nov2025, Vol. 39 Issue 7, p1737-1747. 11p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Irony%22">Irony</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotion+regulation%22">Emotion regulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evoked+potentials+%28Electrophysiology%29%22">Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavioral+sciences%22">Behavioral sciences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+restructuring+therapy%22">Cognitive restructuring therapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affect+%28Psychology%29%22">Affect (Psychology)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study used ratings and event-related potentials (ERPs) to compare the mechanisms through which verbal irony and cognitive reappraisal mitigate negative emotion. Verbal irony is when the literal meaning of words contrasts with their intended meaning. Cognitive reappraisal is when we reconsider emotional stimuli to make them less intense. Our hypothesis was that cognitive reappraisal is a potential mechanism through which irony reduces negative emotion. Participants viewed mildly negative pictures first, then read an ironic or literal statement about it in one block, and used cognitive reappraisal of or attending to the picture in the other block. Participants then viewed the picture for a second time, before rating how negative they felt. Behaviourally, irony reduced negative feelings more than literal statements, and reappraisal reduced negative feelings more than attending, with a larger reduction from reappraisal than from irony. In ERPs, irony elicited a prolonged N400 compared to literal, indexing an initial contrast between picture and word affect and sustained processing of their combination. Cognitive reappraisal elicited a larger late positivity compared to attending at the instruction screen. No differences were found during second picture presentation. These findings suggest that irony and cognitive reappraisal can reduce negative affect in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Cognition & Emotion is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/02699931.2024.2340118
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Irony
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotion regulation
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      – SubjectFull: Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology)
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      – SubjectFull: Behavioral sciences
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      – SubjectFull: Cognitive restructuring therapy
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      – SubjectFull: Affect (Psychology)
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      – TitleFull: Can irony regulate negative emotion? Evidence from behaviour and ERPs.
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            NameFull: Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R.
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            NameFull: Lai, Vicky T.
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            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Text: Nov2025
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