Editing Sadness (section)

== Function ==
According to functional theories, emotions are designed to allow people to effectively deal with the situations that evoke the emotion.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lench |first1=Heather C. |last2=Tibbett |first2=Thomas P. |last3=Bench |first3=Shane W. |date=2016 |title=Exploring the Toolkit of Emotion: What Do Sadness and Anger Do for Us? |url=https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/spc3.12229 |journal=Social and Personality Psychology Compass |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=11–25 |doi=10.1111/spc3.12229 |issn=1751-9004|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Sadness is believed to serve two primary functions that enhance one's ability to cope with loss.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Karnaze |first1=Melissa M. |last2=Levine |first2=Linda J. |chapter=Sadness, the Architect of Cognitive Change |title=The function of emotions: when and why emotions help us |date=2018 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-77619-4 |editor-last=Lench |editor-first=Heather C. |pages=45–58}}</ref> One function is the promotion of cognitive changes that restructure beliefs and goals and reevaluate implications.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Levine |first1=Linda J. |last2=Edelstein |first2=Robin S. |date=2009 |title=Emotion and memory narrowing: A review and goal-relevance approach |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699930902738863 |journal=Cognition & Emotion |language=en |volume=23 |issue=5 |pages=833–875 |doi=10.1080/02699930902738863 |issn=0269-9931|url-access=subscription }}</ref> For instance, when sad, people tend to be less affected by their schemas in general, including schemas regarding political ideology (the heuristic regarding how a conservative or a liberal should respond) when making political decisions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gur |first1=Tamar |last2=Ayal |first2=Shahar |last3=Halperin |first3=Eran |date=2021 |title=A bright side of sadness: The depolarizing role of sadness in intergroup conflicts |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.2715 |journal=European Journal of Social Psychology |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=68–83 |doi=10.1002/ejsp.2715 |issn=0046-2772|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Another function is to signal a need for assistance and elicit support from others.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Keltner |first1=Dacher |last2=Gross |first2=James J. |date=1999 |title=Functional Accounts of Emotions |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/026999399379140 |journal=Cognition & Emotion |volume=13 |issue=5 |pages=467–480 |doi=10.1080/026999399379140 |issn=0269-9931|url-access=subscription }}</ref> This may be done by following the group norms, being kinder to others, and expressing the need for help physically and verbally. As a result, the experience of sadness as a group may decrease emotional polarization<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gur |first1=Tamar |last2=Ayal |first2=Shahar |last3=Wagner |first3=Magnus |last4=Adler |first4=Eli |last5=Halperin |first5=Eran |date=2024-02-13 |title=A group that grieves together stays together: Examining the impact of Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel on affective polarization |journal=Political Psychology |volume=45 |issue=6 |pages=1051–1068 |language=en |doi=10.1111/pops.12956 |issn=0162-895X|doi-access=free }}</ref> and increase relationship building.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gray |first1=Heather M. |last2=Ishii |first2=Keiko |last3=Ambady |first3=Nalini |date=2011 |title=Misery Loves Company: When Sadness Increases the Desire for Social Connectedness |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167211420167 |journal=Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin |volume=37 |issue=11 |pages=1438–1448 |doi=10.1177/0146167211420167 |pmid=21873533 |issn=0146-1672|url-access=subscription }}</ref>