Abstract
Emotion management has long been perceived to be an important skill for athletes and coaches resulting in the study of numerous emotion management skills and interventions (e.g., Botterill & Brown, 2002). Researchers from broader psychology have begun to consider the interpersonal attempts to manage emotions (Niven, Totterdell, & Holman, 2009). Van Kleef (2009) introduced a model explaining the process of how an individual's emotions may influence the behaviour of another individual: The Emotions As Social Information (EASI) model. His research in negotiation and conflict resolution has presented two types of factors that moderate the extent to which interpersonal emotion regulation occurs via affective responses or cognitive processes: The information processing abilities of the observer and the social-relational dynamics between the two individuals. This study investigated these moderating factors of interpersonal emotion regulation within a sport setting. In depth interviews were conducted with twelve English ice hockey players. Results highlight the role that emotional intelligence, cultural norms, the nature of the relationship and the appropriateness of the emotional expression play in successful interpersonal emotion regulation. Implications for further research and applied interventions are subsequently presented.Acknowledgments: Economic and Social Research Council (United Kingdom)