Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Behav Cogn Psychother. 2023 Sep;51(5):432-442. doi: 10.1017/S1352465823000280. Epub 2023 Jul 13.
The processing-mode theory of rumination proposes that an abstract mode of rumination results in more maladaptive consequences than a concrete ruminative mode. It is supported by evidence mostly from the area of depression and little is known of the relative consequences of abstract versus concrete rumination for anger.
We investigated the differential effects of abstract versus concrete rumination about anger on individuals' current affect. We hypothesized that abstract rumination would increase current anger and negative affect, and decrease positive affect, to a greater extent than concrete rumination.
In a within-subject design, 120 participants were instructed to focus on a past social event that resulted in intense anger and then to ruminate about the event in both an abstract and a concrete mode, in a randomly assigned order. Current anger, negative and positive affect were assessed before and after each rumination phase.
Anger and negative affect increased and positive affect decreased from pre- to post-rumination. Contrary to expectations, these patterns were observed irrespective of the ruminative mode induced.
This initial study does not support the hypothesis that abstract and concrete rumination about anger have different consequences for current affect. Replications and more extensive designs are needed.
反刍思维的加工模式理论提出，抽象的反刍模式比具体的反刍模式会产生更适应不良的后果。这一理论主要得到了抑郁领域的证据支持，而对于抽象反刍和具体反刍对愤怒的相对后果，人们知之甚少。
我们研究了关于愤怒的抽象和具体反刍对个体当前情绪的不同影响。我们假设，抽象反刍会比具体反刍更显著地增加当前的愤怒和消极情绪，同时降低积极情绪。
在一项被试内设计中，120 名参与者被要求关注过去导致强烈愤怒的社交事件，然后以随机顺序分别以抽象和具体的方式对该事件进行反刍。在每次反刍阶段前后，评估当前的愤怒、消极和积极情绪。
反刍后，愤怒和消极情绪增加，积极情绪降低。与预期相反，无论诱发的反刍模式如何，都观察到了这些模式。
这项初步研究不支持关于愤怒的抽象和具体反刍对当前情绪有不同后果的假设。需要进行重复研究和更广泛的设计。
