Silence as emotion regulation: Narrative case studies of medical undergraduates

Despite growing recognition of the multifaceted role of silence in various human experiences (Bao, 2023; Jaworski, 2008; King Harumi, 2020), a notable gap exists in understanding its specific contribution to the critical process of emotional regulation. While Gross's (1998) process model of emotional regulation provides a valuable framework for examining how individuals manage their emotions, the implicit role of internal, silent processing within this model remains largely unexplored. This research addresses this gap, aligning with observations by Brackett and Katulak (2007) in their review of emotional intelligence research, who noted a relative lack of investigation into the role of internal, non-verbal processing “akin to moments of silence“ in shaping emotional responses. To this end, two narrative interviews were conducted with a focus group of seven medical undergraduates in Vietnam, eliciting stories of emotional experiences that significantly impacted their learning outcomes and the self-imposed silent strategies they intuitively employed to manage emotions. The findings reveal that silence functions as a crucial individual space across all stages of Gross's model - situation selection and modification, attentional deployment, cognitive reappraisal, and response modulation “enabling proactive and reactive emotional management". Furthermore, the study unveils an additional meaning of silence: its manifestation of a form of emotional endurance, signifying mental calmness and ongoing mental processing that fosters reflection and mitigates psychological tensions. This research highlights the significance of internal quietude in fostering emotional control and well-being.