The undoing hypothesis proposes that positive emotions serve to undo sympathetic arousal related to negative emotions and stress. However, a recent qualitative review challenged the undoing effect by presenting conflicting results. To address this issue quantitatively, we conducted a meta-analytic review of 16 studies (N = 1,220; 72 effect sizes) measuring sympathetic recovery during elicited positive emotions and neutral conditions. Findings indicated that in most cases, positive emotions did not speed sympathetic recovery compared to neutral conditions. However, when a composite index of cardiovascular reactivity was used, undoing effects were evident. Our findings suggest the need for further work on the functions of positive emotions.

撤销假设提出，积极情绪有助于消除与消极情绪和压力相关的同情唤醒。然而，最近的一项定性审查通过提出相互矛盾的结果来挑战这种无效效应。为了定量地解决这个问题，我们对 16 项研究（ N = 1,220；72 个效应量）进行了荟萃分析审查， 测量在引发积极情绪和中性条件下的交感神经恢复。研究结果表明，在大多数情况下，与中性条件相比，积极情绪并没有加速交感神经的恢复。然而，当使用心血管反应性的综合指数时，无效的效果是显而易见的。我们的研究结果表明需要进一步研究积极情绪的功能。