Avant, Vol. X, No. 2/2019, doi: 10.26913/avant.2019.02.01
published under license CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Aneta Niczyporuk
Institute of Sociology and Cognitive Science
University of Bialystok, Poland
aneta.niczyporuk @ uwb.edu.pl
Received 1 September 2018; accepted 23 October 2018; published 18 September 2019. Download full text
Abstract: Research reveals a unique relationship between image representations and emotions. In this context, intrusive mental images could be especially unpleasant and distressing. On the other hand, because of their impact on emotions, images can serve as a support to self-regulation, including regulation of one’s own thoughts. In the article, a thought suppression strategy is proposed that uses images to fight harmful intrusions. This proposition is based on several research areas: studies on image representations properties, the “think/no-think” and the “white bear” thought suppression paradigms, and Lavie’s attention theory The strategy assumes the redirection of attention from unwanted content by using image representations in conditions of maximally freed-up cognitive control resources.
Keywords: thought suppression; intrusions; cognitive control; load; image representations
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