DHO YEE CHUNG
dhoyee.chung@icloud.com

CV
Research





Unleash Emotional Suppression #Arduino #EmotionRegulation  #Biofeedback #HeartRateSensor
#FiberOptics #EmotionRegulation #Mindfulness #WearableEmotional stoicism is a practice of self-control and enduring hardship without outward complaints. It is highly valued in Asian cultures, which prioritize interpersonal harmony in collectives over individualism. While it worked as a coping mechanism for colonization and brutal poverty, the generational cycle of emotional suppression is toxic for the mental health of Asians in the modern context. Asians are culturally trained to control their emotion more quickly. Research shows that Asians lower their heart rates faster than European Americans, whose culture places a higher value on emotional expression. Suppressing emotions without understanding or managing them can result in diminished memory, interpersonal difficulties, and major mood disorders on a personal level, but also intergenerational issues due to the lack of communication within the family.

In this respect, my wearable project, XXX, is designed to help Asians or even a larger scope of emotional disorder patients, to acknowledge and process their emotions in a healthier and positive way. XXX features a biofeedback system that operates in real time, responding adaptively to the wearer’s specific mental condition and heart rate phases. A heart-rate sensor detects a rising BPM and sends a signal to a wearer to keep them being aware of their emotions and body’s reactions. Optic fibers planted on XXX’s surface transmit LED light signals in various rhythms and patterns designed to induce emotional regulation strategies, including the detection of an emotion, cognitive change, and the expression of an emotion. The LED color schemes shift the hues and intensity of light to promote emotional balance and lead to mindful breathing. XXX aims to help the wearer comfortably face their emotions and express themselves with confidence.




Problems

  • Expressive suppression and mental health
    Expressive suppression is commonly viewed as unhealthy and is linked to negative psychological outcomes. Research suggests it can contribute to poorer emotional well-being and maladaptive coping.

  • Cultural training and emotional reactivity
    Long-term cultural conditioning to suppress emotions can reduce emotional reactivity across biological systems, including neural responses. This dampening effect is especially noticeable in situations where suppression is socially encouraged.

  • Cultural norms and anger regulation in Asians
    Mauss and Butler (2010) found that Asians who strongly value emotional control show physiological patterns associated with challenge rather than threat during anger. This suggests that anger suppression aligns with cultural norms and is experienced as appropriate within that context.

  • Stress and cardiovascular risk
    Emotional and physical stress increase heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone release, placing extra strain on the heart. This heightened workload can trigger serious conditions like heart attacks, heart failure, or dangerous arrhythmias even in people without diagnosed heart disease.

  • Physiological incoherence and systemic wear
    Stressful emotions can disrupt the body’s physiological coordination, making bodily systems operate less efficiently. Over time, this leads to energy depletion and increased wear and tear on the entire body.

    • Solutions

  • In progress
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    Flowchart

         





    Wearable Structure









    Process