Repression and the inaccessibility of affective memories.

Abstract

The fundamental assumption that repression involves an inaccessibility to affective memories has not been directly addressed in empirical research. In the present study we examined three groups of subjects (repressors, low anxious, and high anxious) under six conditions of recall (general, happy, sad, anger, fear, and wonder). Subjects were asked to recall personal experiences from childhood and to rate their current mood and the affective intensity of the memories. The results indicated that repressors recalled significantly fewer negative memories than did low-anxious and high-anxious subjects and, furthermore, that they were substantially older at the time of the earliest negative memory recalled. Compared with low-anxious subjects, repressors also recalled fewer positive affective memories as well. This pattern of findings is consistent with the hypothesis that repression involves an inaccessibility to negative emotional memories and indicates further that repression is associated in some way with the suppression or inhibition of emotional experiences in general. The concept of repression as a process involving limited access to negative affective memories appears to be valid.

The failed repressor: EEG asymmetry as a moderator of the relation between defensiveness and depressive symptoms

“…scoring in the high ranges on both defensiveness and distress, is often neglected in the literature on repressive/defensive style. These individuals pose something of a paradox: On the one hand, they tend to claim strong character traits and deny minor faults, but on the other hand, report high levels of distress and psychopathological symptoms that are inconsistent with their general motive to gain social approval and avoid social disapproval (Davis, 1987;Hansen and Hansen, 1988;Weinberger et al, 1979). Bonanno and Singer (1990) have referred to these individuals as "failed would-be repressors," and hypothesized that high-defensive individuals would vacillate between a repressor style and a helpless-hopeless pattern.…”

Repressive coping: Distraction using pleasant thoughts and memories.

“…report experiencing lower levels of negative affect than nonrepressors (Weinberger et al, 1979), demonstrate an impoverished memory for emotional events (Davis & Schwartz, 1987;Hansen & Hansen, 1988), and show poorer memory for negative personality feedback (Baumeister & Cairns, 1992). Thus repressors seem to avoid negative emotional stimuli habitually, with resultant effects on mood and memory.…”

Self-Defining and Early Childhood Memories: Subjective Intensity Rating of Memory-Related Emotions

“…By contrast, though personally relevant, emotions evoked by ECMs appear more likely to be faded, possibly due to the effect of time [35,20]. As suggested in literature [32], memories laid down in early childhood may be also involved in larger reconstructive defensive processes (e.g repressive coping style). In our sample, reconstructive processes may have modified affective intensity over time.…”