Lectures 7 & 8:Mental Control

Don’t Think About?

Background Reading

Wegner, D.M. (1994). Ironic processes of mental control. Wegner, D.M. (1994). Ironic processes of mental control. Psychological Psychological ReviewReview, , 101101, 34-52., 34-52.

Wegner, D.., & Wenzlaff, R.M. (1996). Mental control. In E.T. Higgins Wegner, D.., & Wenzlaff, R.M. (1996). Mental control. In E.T. Higgins & A.W. Kruglanski (Eds.) & A.W. Kruglanski (Eds.) Social psychology: Handbook of basic Social psychology: Handbook of basic principlesprinciples (pp. 466-492. New York: Guilford. (pp. 466-492. New York: Guilford.

Wenzlaff, R.M., & Wegner, D.M. (2000). Thought suppression. Wenzlaff, R.M., & Wegner, D.M. (2000). Thought suppression. Annual Annual Review of PsychologyReview of Psychology, , 5151, 59-91., 59-91.

Forbidden Thoughts

Unwanted Thoughts - Top 10 (US)

10. food and eating10. food and eating

9. health9. health

8. sexual impulses8. sexual impulses

7. physical appearance7. physical appearance

6. lack of money6. lack of money

5. fear of being victimized5. fear of being victimized

4. death of loved ones4. death of loved ones

3. worries about the future3. worries about the future

2. school worries2. school worries

1. problems in relationships1. problems in relationships

Unwanted Stuff (UK)

• Unwanted Action ImpulsesUnwanted Action Impulsesbecoming violent during sexbecoming violent during sexjumping on track as a train approachesjumping on track as a train approachescrashing the car on purposecrashing the car on purposesaying rude things to peoplesaying rude things to peoplejumping from a tall buildingjumping from a tall building

• Unwanted ThoughtsUnwanted Thoughtsaccident to loved oneaccident to loved onefood calorie contentfood calorie contenthumiliating experiences from pasthumiliating experiences from pastwishing someone deadwishing someone dead

Important Questions

• How do we control our minds?How do we control our minds?

• Is mind control successful?Is mind control successful?

• Who or what is in control?Who or what is in control?

A Brief History of Mind Control

Brief History Continued

• Freudian years (‘tales from the darkside’)Freudian years (‘tales from the darkside’)

repression vs. suppressionrepression vs. suppression

conscious vs. unconscious controlconscious vs. unconscious control

voluntary inhibitionvoluntary inhibition

• early research (don’t list)early research (don’t list)

action inhibition (don’t kiss)action inhibition (don’t kiss)

communication inhibition (don’t swear)communication inhibition (don’t swear)

emotion inhibition (don’t lie)emotion inhibition (don’t lie)

Exerting the Will

Acts of Will

• will - ‘effort’ of attentionwill - ‘effort’ of attention

• paddling in the stream of consciousnesspaddling in the stream of consciousness

wanted vs. unwanted thoughtswanted vs. unwanted thoughts

directing attentiondirecting attention

regulating the contents of consciousnessregulating the contents of consciousness

• how effective is mind control?how effective is mind control?

ironic (i.e., unintended) effectsironic (i.e., unintended) effects

A Wee Thought Experiment

Literary Insights

Don’t Think About

“Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you willsee that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.”

Polar Bears Revisited!

Don’t Think About White Bears:Wegner et al. (1987)

TaskTaskParticipants asked to suppress the thought of a white bear. Participants asked to suppress the thought of a white bear. These individuals thought aloud for 5 minutes and rang a These individuals thought aloud for 5 minutes and rang a bell if the thought came to mind during suppression bell if the thought came to mind during suppression (participants typically rang the bell and mentioned white (participants typically rang the bell and mentioned white bears occasionally during this time - 6 times).bears occasionally during this time - 6 times).

when these participants were next asked to think about when these participants were next asked to think about anything at all (including white bears) they produced more anything at all (including white bears) they produced more mentions and more bell rings than did participants who mentions and more bell rings than did participants who could think about anything (including white bears) at all could think about anything (including white bears) at all from the outset of the experiment.from the outset of the experiment.

Post-Suppression Rebound

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suppress control

mentionbell

Suppression - A Case Study

Of course now the only thing I’m going to think about is a Of course now the only thing I’m going to think about is a white bearwhite bear. . OK, I mean its hard to think that I can see a bell*…and don’t think OK, I mean its hard to think that I can see a bell*…and don’t think about a about a white bearwhite bear. Um, what was I thinking of before? See, if I think . Um, what was I thinking of before? See, if I think about flowers a lot*…I’ll think about a about flowers a lot*…I’ll think about a white bearwhite bear, it’s impossible.* I , it’s impossible.* I could ring this bell over and over* and over* and over* and…a could ring this bell over and over* and over* and over* and…a white white bearbear*…and OK…so, my fingernails are really bad they…um…they *…and OK…so, my fingernails are really bad they…um…they need to be painted because they are…um…they’re chipping at the need to be painted because they are…um…they’re chipping at the ends. One thing about this is every time that I really want like…um…ends. One thing about this is every time that I really want like…um…to talk, think, to not think* about the to talk, think, to not think* about the white bearwhite bear, then it makes me , then it makes me think about the think about the white bearwhite bear so it doesn’t work, so I’m going to have to so it doesn’t work, so I’m going to have to try harder not to think abut the try harder not to think abut the white bearwhite bear..

Halloween, people from Venus, purple hair, relaxed toes...Halloween, people from Venus, purple hair, relaxed toes...

Get Out of My Mind!!!

• combating reboundcombating rebound

• how to minimize mental intrusionshow to minimize mental intrusions

self distractionself distraction

not white bears, but…not white bears, but…

• why does rebound occur?why does rebound occur?

distractors as remindersdistractors as reminders

The Secret of Success:Red VW

Types of Distraction

• focused vs. unfocused distractionfocused vs. unfocused distraction

• perils of distractor cueingperils of distractor cueing

few vs. manyfew vs. many

Power of Distraction:Wegner et al. (1987)

TaskTask

As before (don’t think about white bear). When a As before (don’t think about white bear). When a whitebear comes to mind, think about a red VW (i.e., whitebear comes to mind, think about a red VW (i.e., focused distraction) or anything at all (i.e., unfocused focused distraction) or anything at all (i.e., unfocused distraction)distraction)

ResultsResults

Phase 1Phase 1 - both groups report equivalent numbers of white - both groups report equivalent numbers of white bear thoughts. bear thoughts. Phase 2Phase 2 - rebound eliminated for those - rebound eliminated for those previously thinking about a Red VW.previously thinking about a Red VW.

A Red VW For Your Thoughts

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suppresslater

The Power of Context

Change the Context:Wegner et al. (1991)

TaskTask

suppress or express thoughts (white bears) in the context suppress or express thoughts (white bears) in the context of a slide show (classroom scenes or household objects). of a slide show (classroom scenes or household objects). Then express thoughts in either the same or different Then express thoughts in either the same or different context.context.

ResultsResults

a change of context eliminated rebound effects. Thus, a change of context eliminated rebound effects. Thus, distractors serve as reminders.distractors serve as reminders.

Charting Rebound Effects

• old flamesold flames

• eating disorderseating disorders

• emotionsemotions

• violenceviolence

Fanning Old Flames:Gold & Wegner (1991)

• Phase 1Phase 1 - participants spent 9 min thinking about an old - participants spent 9 min thinking about an old flame (if still in love - elevated GSR)flame (if still in love - elevated GSR)

• Phase 2Phase 2 - participants spent 9 mins suppressing either - participants spent 9 mins suppressing either thoughts about their old flame or the Statue of Liberty.thoughts about their old flame or the Statue of Liberty.

• Phase 3Phase 3 - think about old flame. Elevated GSR observed in - think about old flame. Elevated GSR observed in participants who were previously instructed to suppress participants who were previously instructed to suppress thoughts about their old flame.thoughts about their old flame.

Binge Eating

• Polivy & Herman (1985) report that inhibition of eating Polivy & Herman (1985) report that inhibition of eating may lead to subsequent eating disorders and obesity. may lead to subsequent eating disorders and obesity. Dieters are particularly inclined to overeat immediately Dieters are particularly inclined to overeat immediately after having broken a diet (rebound?) - similar effects with after having broken a diet (rebound?) - similar effects with smoking and alcoholism.smoking and alcoholism.

Emotional Rebound

• rebound following inhibition of emotion associated with a rebound following inhibition of emotion associated with a traumatic event.traumatic event.

• Pennebaker (1990) has shown that long-term inhibition Pennebaker (1990) has shown that long-term inhibition can impair subsequent health (psychological & physical).can impair subsequent health (psychological & physical).

Violent Behaviour

• Megargee (1971) - violent criminals show 2 contrasting Megargee (1971) - violent criminals show 2 contrasting patterns of response to violence-promoting situations: patterns of response to violence-promoting situations: under-controlled and over-controlled. Over-controlled under-controlled and over-controlled. Over-controlled individuals hold back all aggressive tendencies until some individuals hold back all aggressive tendencies until some situation triggers an extremely violent episode.situation triggers an extremely violent episode.