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Cognitive and affective consequences of repressive coping

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Abstract

This investigation examined whether repressors, individuals who seem especially reactive to emotional stimuli, would attempt to control their emotional reactions to unpleasant events, and whether such attempts would impair repressors’ recall for those stimuli. Participants viewed either an unpleasant or an emotionally neutral film and then reported their mood following the film and their recall memory for details in the film. Repressors reported a more pleasant mood than nonrepressors after the unpleasant film. Repressors did not, however, differ from non-repressors in their memory for details in the film. The results suggest that while repressors are efficient regulators of emotion, the cognitive effects of the repressive coping style are less clear.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Plymouth, Montserrat

    Joseph M. Boden

  2. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, 4350, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

    Karen L. Dale

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  1. Joseph M. Boden
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  2. Karen L. Dale
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This research was supported by a University of Plymouth QR grant to the first author.

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Boden, J.M., Dale, K.L. Cognitive and affective consequences of repressive coping. Curr Psychol 20, 122–136 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-001-1020-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-001-1020-5

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