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Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research 3/2008

01-06-2008 | Original Article

I Feel Fine but the Glass is Still Half Empty: Thought Suppression Biases Information Processing Despite Recovery from a Dysphoric Mood State

Auteurs: Christopher G. Beevers, Björn Meyer

Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research | Uitgave 3/2008

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Abstract

Following a negative affective experience, people often try to avoid thoughts of what just transpired. Ironic processes theory [Wegner (1994) Psychological Review, 101, 34–52] suggests that this mood regulation strategy may actually increase negative thinking once thought suppression efforts are relinquished. The present study examined whether suppressing negative thoughts in the midst of a dysphoric mood subsequently increases negative thinking. Sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to either a dysphoric mood induction or control condition. Participants then suppressed negative thoughts or were given no suppression instructions during a 6-min writing task. Consistent with ironic process theory, thought suppression increased accessibility to negative thinking after the suppression period, despite dissipation of dysphoric mood. Findings suggest that thought suppression imparts a cognitive residue that influences information processing even after remission of dysphoric mood.
Voetnoten
1
Cohen (1977) characterizes effect sizes of η2 = .01 as small, η2 = .06 as medium, and η2 = .14 as large.
 
2
When the assumption of homogeneity is not violated, Keppel (1991) recommends using the error term from the omnibus F-test for testing the simple main effects and interactions. This procedure was followed for all follow-up analyses.
 
3
Identical analyses were also completed using number of positive sentences unscrambled as an outcome. No significant main effects or interactions were observed for mood induction or thought suppression conditions, (Fs < 1).
 
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Metagegevens
Titel
I Feel Fine but the Glass is Still Half Empty: Thought Suppression Biases Information Processing Despite Recovery from a Dysphoric Mood State
Auteurs
Christopher G. Beevers
Björn Meyer
Publicatiedatum
01-06-2008
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Cognitive Therapy and Research / Uitgave 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-006-9108-8

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