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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression

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Unconscious thought reduces intrusion development: a replication and extension.

Julie Krans¹, Dörte Janecko, Maarten W Bos

¹University of New South Wales, School of Psychology, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. j.krans@unsw.edu.au

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry

|December 5, 2012

Summary

Engaging in unconscious thought (UT) after a stressful event can reduce intrusive memories, a key symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. This finding suggests potential clinical applications for preventing stress symptoms through UT interventions.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Clinical Psychology

Background:

Intrusive memories are a core symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Current theories suggest intrusive memories arise from disorganized trauma memory, failing to integrate into autobiographical memory.
Unconscious Thought Theory posits that unconscious thought (UT) enhances conceptual organization compared to conscious thought (CT).

Purpose of the Study:

To test the hypothesis that unconscious thought (UT) reduces intrusive memories and improves memory organization.
To investigate the differential effects of UT and CT on memory consolidation after a stressful experience.

Main Methods:

Participants viewed a stressful film and then engaged in either an UT task, a CT task, or a distraction task.
Measurements included the frequency and qualities of film intrusions, and sequence memory recall.
The study utilized a controlled experimental design with healthy participants.

Main Results:

Unconscious thought (UT) significantly reduced the frequency of intrusive memories compared to conscious thought (CT) or distraction.
Contrary to predictions, no significant differences in sequence memory were found across conditions.
Conscious thought (CT) was associated with increased intrusion recency and arousal.

Conclusions:

Unconscious thought (UT) can effectively decrease the frequency of intrusive memories following a stressful event.
Findings suggest potential clinical utility for UT in preventing initial stress symptom development.
The precise mechanisms underlying UT's effect on intrusions require further investigation.