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Effects of suppressing negative memories on intrusions and autobiographical memory specificity
Author(s) -
Geraerts Elke,
Hauer Beatrijs J. A.,
Wessel Ineke
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/acp.1684
Subject(s) - autobiographical memory , psychology , false memory , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , recall
This study examines whether avoidance of negative memories results in intrusions as well as reduced memory specificity. Healthy participants suppressed memories of either a negative or a neutral autobiographical event. Individuals who suppressed negative memories tended to demonstrate smaller increases in negative mood than those who did not suppress their negative target memory. Neither suppression nor valence of the to‐be‐suppressed memory predicted decreases in memory specificity. Target memory‐related intrusions during autobiographical memory retrieval predicted larger reductions in specific memory recall. Our findings are discussed in terms of affect regulation and other accounts of over‐general memory. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.