Pyszczynski T, Greenberg J, Solomon S, Sideris J, Stubing M J
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1993 Feb;64(2):177-86. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.64.2.177.
Two experiments tested whether expression of emotions from which motivated cognitive biases presumably provide protection would reduce the extent of such biases. In Study I, we hypothesized that expressing any tension produced by writing a counterattitudinal essay would reduce the extent of dissonance-reducing attitude change. To test this hypothesis, Ss were induced to write an essay arguing for higher tuition. High-choice Ss were either encouraged to express their emotions, to suppress them, or to do neither. As expected, high-choice-express Ss exhibited the least attitude change. Study 2 tested the hypothesis that expressing fear of cancer would reduce the extent of defensive distancing from cancer patients, but expressing sympathy would not. Although control Ss clearly distanced from cancer patients, fear-expression Ss did not. Implications for understanding the role of affect in defense are discussed.
表达那些动机性认知偏差可能为之提供保护的情绪，是否会减少此类偏差的程度。在研究一中，我们假设表达撰写一篇与自己态度相悖的文章所产生的任何紧张情绪，会减少减少失调的态度改变的程度。为了检验这一假设，我们诱导被试撰写一篇支持提高学费的文章。高选择度的被试要么被鼓励表达他们的情绪，要么被鼓励抑制情绪，要么不做任何要求。正如预期的那样，高选择度表达情绪的被试表现出的态度改变最小。研究二检验了以下假设：表达对癌症的恐惧会减少与癌症患者保持防御性距离的程度，但表达同情则不会。尽管控制组的被试明显与癌症患者保持距离，但表达恐惧情绪的被试则没有。本文还讨论了对理解情感在防御中的作用的启示。
