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Related Experiment Videos

Repressive coping: distraction using pleasant thoughts and memories

J M Boden1, R F Baumeister

  • 1Department of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, USA. jmb5z@virginia.edu

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary
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Repressors cope with negative emotions by accessing pleasant memories, unlike non-repressors who recall mood-congruent information. This study reveals cognitive defenses against emotional distress.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Affective Science

Background:

  • Individuals employ various strategies to manage negative emotional experiences.
  • Distraction through pleasant thoughts is one such coping mechanism.
  • Mood-congruent recall suggests memories align with current emotional states, but this may not apply to all individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how individuals cope with negative affect.
  • To examine the recall of pleasant memories in response to unpleasant stimuli.
  • To differentiate the memory access strategies of repressors versus non-repressors.

Main Methods:

  • Three experiments were conducted involving participants watching film clips (unpleasant or neutral).
  • Memory recall tasks for happy, sad, or neutral memories were administered.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Spontaneous thought generation was assessed after emotional stimuli exposure.

    • Main Results:

    • Repressors recalled happy memories faster after viewing unpleasant films, contrary to mood-congruent recall.
    • Repressors showed a preference for recalling happy over sad memories post-unpleasant film.
    • Repressors spontaneously generated pleasant thoughts, while non-repressors did not.

    Conclusions:

    • Repressors utilize pleasant thought generation as a cognitive defense against negative affect.
    • This strategy contrasts with the mood-congruent memory typically observed in non-repressors.
    • Findings shed light on the associative structures underlying repression and emotional coping.