Incongruency effects in affective processing: Automatic motivational counter-regulation or mismatch-induced salience?

Abstract

Attention is automatically allocated to stimuli that are opposite in valence to the current motivational focus (Rothermund,

Threatened individuals prefer positive information during Internet search: An experimental laboratory study

“…The current results are consistent with research on the influence of threat on information processing (Jonas et al, 2014;Rothermund, 2011;Rothermund et al, 2008Rothermund et al, , 2011. threatened individuals which is in line with the counter-regulation principle (Rothermund, 2011).…”

“…Such Internet searches can be accompanied by affective states such as threat. Threat is known to elicit a preference for positive information (Rothermund, 2011;Rothermund et al, 2008Rothermund et al, , 2011; for an overview see Jonas et al, 2014). Such preference is also elicited when threatened individuals perform separate steps of the Internet search process .…”

“…In particular, threat has an influence on information processing (Rothermund, 2011;Rothermund et al, 2008;Rothermund, Gast, & Wentura, 2011;Schwager & Rothermund, 2013a, 2013b. That is, threat elicits counter-regulation (Rothermund, 2011;Rothermund et al, 2008Rothermund et al, , 2011Schwager & Rothermund, 2013a, 2013b.…”

Are you Concerned? Patient Testimonials in Medical Communication Affect Healthy Recipients' Emotions and Memory

“…Hence, resonating with the patient's experience should result in a mild affective experience congruent with the patient's experiences. In other words, recipients share the patient's affective state, but this affect is less intense in recipients than in actual patients (Rothermund et al, 2011;cf. Sassenberg et al, 2015).…”

“…Furthermore, research in the tradition of the counterregulatory principle (Rothermund et al, 2011) indicates that information of the opposite valence is preferably processed in certain emotional states (e.g., under threat, individuals preferably process positive information). However, it is important to note that the counter-regulatory principle only applies if individuals experience "hot" (i.e., intense) emotional states, because only then is it functional to regulate these states by processing information of the opposite valence regarding the current emotional state.…”