Fredrickson and Levenson (1998) investigated whether positive emotions speed recovery from the cardiovascular sequelae of negative emotions. In Study 1, 60 participants viewed a fear-inducing film, followed by a secondary film eliciting contentment, amusement, neutrality, or sadness. Those who viewed positive films returned to pre-film cardiovascular levels more quickly than those who viewed neutral or sad films. In Study 2, 72 participants viewed a sad film, and those who spontaneously smiled recovered more quickly from cardiovascular activation than those who did not. The findings support the "undoing" hypothesis, suggesting that positive emotions may reduce the physiological effects of negative emotions by restoring autonomic activity to mid-range levels. Positive emotions like contentment and amusement may help restore homeostasis, allowing individuals to return to a more balanced state. The study highlights the importance of positive emotions in counteracting the physiological effects of negative emotions, though it notes that not all positive emotions may have the same effect. The results suggest that positive emotions can facilitate recovery from the cardiovascular sequelae of negative emotions, but further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved.Fredrickson and Levenson (1998) investigated whether positive emotions speed recovery from the cardiovascular sequelae of negative emotions. In Study 1, 60 participants viewed a fear-inducing film, followed by a secondary film eliciting contentment, amusement, neutrality, or sadness. Those who viewed positive films returned to pre-film cardiovascular levels more quickly than those who viewed neutral or sad films. In Study 2, 72 participants viewed a sad film, and those who spontaneously smiled recovered more quickly from cardiovascular activation than those who did not. The findings support the "undoing" hypothesis, suggesting that positive emotions may reduce the physiological effects of negative emotions by restoring autonomic activity to mid-range levels. Positive emotions like contentment and amusement may help restore homeostasis, allowing individuals to return to a more balanced state. The study highlights the importance of positive emotions in counteracting the physiological effects of negative emotions, though it notes that not all positive emotions may have the same effect. The results suggest that positive emotions can facilitate recovery from the cardiovascular sequelae of negative emotions, but further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved.