Which of the following scenarios best illustrates an emotion that serves a broaden-and-build function according to Barbara Fredrickson's theory?

• A. Upon losing his wallet, Ben feels anger and confronts the person he suspects.
• B. When threatened by a barking dog, Alex feels fear and immediately runs away to safety.
• C. After receiving praise for her work, Maria feels joy and becomes more open to collaborating with new colleagues.
• D. During a stressful exam, Priya feels anxiety and focuses solely on the test questions.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand Barbara Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, which suggests that positive emotions like joy, interest, and love broaden an individual's momentary thought-action repertoire, leading to the building of lasting personal resources.
2. Step 2: Identify the emotions in each scenario and classify them as either positive or negative. For example, anger and fear are negative emotions, while joy is a positive emotion.
3. Step 3: Analyze how each emotion influences behavior. According to the theory, positive emotions broaden attention and encourage exploration and social connection, while negative emotions tend to narrow focus and prompt immediate survival-oriented actions.
4. Step 4: Evaluate which scenario shows an emotion leading to broadened thinking or increased social openness. The scenario where Maria feels joy and becomes more open to collaborating aligns with the broaden-and-build function.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the scenario illustrating joy leading to openness and collaboration best exemplifies the broaden-and-build theory, as it shows how positive emotions expand cognitive and social resources.