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Self-focused attention, gender, gender role, and vulnerability to negative affect
R E Ingram1, D Cruet, B R Johnson
1Doctoral Training Facility, San Diego State University, California 92182-0551.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|December 1, 1988
Summary
Women tend to self-focus more than men, which may increase their risk for depression. Masculine individuals may be protected from depression by lower self-focus.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gender Studies
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Previous research links gender and self-focused attention to depression.
- Understanding the interplay between these factors is crucial for mental health research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between gender, self-focused attention, and emotional distress.
- To determine if sex roles influence emotional responses to negative events under conditions of heightened self-focus.
Main Methods:
- A series of studies were conducted, including self-focusing manipulations.
- Study 3 experimentally manipulated self-focused attention in relation to sex roles.
- Participants experienced a negative event, and their emotional distress was measured.
Main Results:
- Women demonstrated a greater propensity for self-focus compared to men across studies.
- Feminine individuals receiving a self-focusing manipulation reported higher self-focused attention and negative affect.
- Masculine individuals showed less self-focus and potentially a buffer against negative affect.
Conclusions:
- A tendency for self-focus may predispose feminine individuals to depression.
- Lower self-focus in masculine individuals might offer insulation from depressive experiences.
- Findings highlight the complex interaction of gender, self-focus, and emotional well-being.