Dispositional and situational determinants of repression

J Pers Soc Psychol. 1996 Apr;70(4):856-67. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.70.4.856.

Abstract

This research project posits a model of repression that incorporates both repressive personality and repressive social behavior. The 1st parameter of the model specifies the motivation for repressors' distancing of themselves from emotional events. Experiment 1 demonstrates that repressors are hypersensitive--in their cognitive attention--to both negative and positive emotional events. The 2nd parameter of the model specifies the conditions under which repressors distance themselves from emotional events. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrate that repressors psychologically distance themselves when the situation threatens their self-evaluation and provides opportunity for them to attend to and process self-relevant and non-self-relevant information. This 2-factor model extends the current conceptualization of repression in that it identifies motivation (dispositional emotional sensitivity) and context (situational threats to self-evaluation and distraction availability) for repressors' distancing of themselves from negative and positive emotional events.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Defense Mechanisms
  • Emotions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Individuality
  • Male
  • Personality*
  • Problem Solving
  • Psychological Distance
  • Repression, Psychology*
  • Self Concept
  • Social Behavior*
  • Social Environment*