Framing the theoretical perspectives on emotion regulation: A Habermasian typology and its implications for educational research

Using Habermas's three human interests as a philosophical lens, a typology of emotion regulation was developed based on previous work. There are three theoretical perspectives on emotion regulation. The first perspective, emotion regulation as steps, considers emotion regulation as an individual phenomenon and detachable entity. The second perspective, emotion regulation in relations, adopting a relational or interpersonal approach, views emotion regulation as a simultaneous systemic process. The third perspective, emotion regulation under siege, tends to criticize the unequal and undemocratic essence underlying emotion regulation and call for the active reconstruction of emotional norms. Educational scholars taking different philosophical positions have adopted different perspectives of emotion regulation, reflecting various research characteristics. Finally, a comprehensive definition of emotion regulation was provided and discussed, and conceptual and methodological suggestions for advancing emotion regulation research in education were given.