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Thinking about the self influences thinking in general: cognitive consequences of salient self-concept

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Abstract

Two studies support our hypothesis that connected and interdependent self-focus evokes a generally context-dependent cognitive mode (focused on object–context relations) and provide some evidence that separate and independent self-focus evokes a generally context-independent cognitive mode (focused on objects, independent of contexts). Consistent with our predictions, experimental manipulation of interdependent self-focus influences cognitive speed/accuracy (Experiment 1) and memory (Experiment 2). When primed self-focus is congruent with the perceptual task at hand, perceptual speed increases (as shown by a significant task by prime interaction effect) and when primed, interdependent self-focus improves memory for incidentally encoded contextual information. Further research to link primed and chronic self-focus effects is called for.

Section snippets

Independent and interdependent self-knowledge: content and process

However, current social psychological models of the self-concept posit that the self is fundamentally not just a repository of self-knowledge (Oyserman, 2001). Rather, it is both a set of content—autobiographic memories and semantic information, and a cognitive structure with executive functions that organize information processing (Kühnen, Hannover, & Schubert, 2001; Markus & Wurf, 1987; Oyserman & Markus, 1993). If this argument is true then researchers should be able to see the impact of

Experiment 1

Experiment 1 conceptually replicates previous findings using: (a) different materials, (b) a different dependent measure-speed of (accurate) processing rather than number of correct responses, and (c) a within subjects design in which participants responded to two different cognitive tasks, one requiring context-independent thinking and the other requiring context-dependent thinking.

Experiment 2

Experiment 1 gave evidence for the assumption that self-construal priming affects the degree of context-dependency in perceptual processes. Experiment 2 was conducted to extend this research into the field of memory processes. In particular, we assumed that if interdependent self-knowledge fosters perceptual processing of objects as related to contexts then memory for incidentally encoded contextual information should improve if interdependent (rather then independent) self-knowledge is

General discussion

A growing literature suggests chronic cultural differences in cognitive processing—contrasting European American with Chinese or Korean participants to show that these East Asian participants are more likely to process information in terms of the whole or context within which it is presented (e.g., Morris, Nisbett, & Peng, 1995). Building on a broad social-psychological research base showing that the `on-line' or `working' self-concept is easily manipulated by subtle priming manipulations (for

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant Ku 1305/1-1 to Kühnen) and the W.T. Grant Foundation (Faculty Scholar Award to Oyserman). I am grateful to the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences for support during the writing process (Oyserman).

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