Which of the following is an effective strategy to avoid emotional contagion in social situations?

• A. Always matching the emotional tone of the group to fit in
• B. Becoming aware of your own emotions and setting healthy boundaries with others
• C. Ignoring your feelings and focusing only on others' emotions
• D. Suppressing all emotional responses in every interaction

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of emotional contagion, which is the phenomenon where individuals 'catch' or absorb the emotions of others around them, often unconsciously.
2. Recognize that an effective strategy to avoid emotional contagion involves self-awareness—being conscious of your own emotional state helps you distinguish your feelings from those of others.
3. Learn about setting healthy boundaries, which means maintaining a psychological distance that prevents others' emotions from overwhelming your own emotional experience.
4. Evaluate the options given: matching the group's emotions may increase contagion, ignoring your feelings can lead to emotional neglect, and suppressing emotions entirely is unhealthy and impractical.
5. Conclude that the best approach is to become aware of your own emotions and set healthy boundaries, as this allows you to engage socially without being unduly influenced by others' emotional states.