ABSTRACT
To understand modern attachment theory, we need a working definition of affect regulation. According to James Gross, a psychologist known for his research on emotion and emotion regulation, emotion regulation is one part of the broader construct of affect regulation. Affective states include emotions, stress responses, and moods and James Gross suggests that affect regulation is composed of three facets: emotion regulation, coping, and mood regulation. Affect regulation involves the regulation of moods as well. When defining affect regulation, it is important to distinguish between autoregulation and co-regulation. In fact, the neuroscientist James Coan suggests that interactive regulation is the more efficient strategy for affect regulation and states that the brain seems to bank on us having others to support us. According to modern attachment theory, the attachment bond has everything to do with overall affect regulation, particularly the regulation of distress.
