ABSTRACT
Automatic affective processing is the key to understanding psychological resilience. To convince the reader of this we start with a detective search for the basics of resilience. The definition of resilience is entirely complex. The term implies processes located within the person, ones that offer explanations for recovery from adversity. A closer look reveals the heart of resilience. It is the flexible regulation of motivation and action which involves affect and cognition. At the core of affect and cognition is the automatic regulation of selective attention and of affective processing that prepares the individual for motivational changes and that sets the stage for adaptive behaviors to threat and adversity. We support this process model of resilience with data in the second part of our chapter. First we will review recent research on the relationship between self-regulation and basic cognitive and affective mechanisms. Then we will connect these findings to studies that investigate coping and adaptation in real-life severe threats to psychological functioning and well-being. We conclude with future research needed to close existing gaps. We discuss potential implications of our analyses for an understanding of clinical phenomena and for designing interventions to overcome a lack of resilience.
