How to control a white bear? Individual differences involved in self-perceived and actual thought-suppression ability

Thought suppression is generally considered a maladaptive mental control strategy, leading to increased intrusions. In the experimental psychopathology literature, thought suppression is assigned a central role in anxiety and depression, disorders characterised by a high level of negative intrusive thoughts. We examined predictors of self-perceived and actual thought suppression ability in an undergraduate sample. It was found that self-perceived suppression ability was predicted by anxiety and depression scores, attentional control, and distraction strategies. Immediate and rebound effects of actual suppression were predicted by depression scores. Interestingly, higher levels of attentional control and distraction were related to more successful thought suppression on the questionnaires, yet were related to increased intrusions during suppression.     

CONSIDERATION OF THE ROLE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY IN REDUCING THE RISK OF SUICIDE IN AFFECTIVE DISORDERS – A CASE STUDY

In this paper material is presented from a patient with a diagnosis of a recurrent affective disorder and exhibiting resistance to engaging in the work of therapy alongside the emergence of active suicidal intent. Supervision can help in containing intensely disturbing feelings in the therapist and aid in identifying the underlying psychosis. Through exploration of the counter‐transference feelings, the therapist can become attuned to a playing down of the psychosis by the patient and alert other involved professionals. Technically, the challenge remains one of how to make an impact in the sessions through converting a psychotic monologue into a dialogue.     

What does being initiated severely into a group do? The role of rewards

Undergoing an admission process (an initiation) can induce exaggerated feelings about a group, but there is little research about the role of rewards. This study replicated Aronson and Mills’ (1959) experiment. Seventy participants underwent either a severe initiation or a mild initiation. After the initiation, about half the sample received an extrinsic reward for merely completing the task. The remaining half did not receive an extrinsic reward. This was to vary the amount of dissonance. Initiation severity and reward condition had significant, noncrossing interactions. A reward led to higher group identity than no reward, supporting Levine and Moreland's (1994) group socialization model. A severe initiation did not lead to more group identity than a mild initiation; therefore, Aronson and Mills’ findings were not replicated. Interestingly, a mild initiation followed by a reward led to more group identity than a severe initiation followed by a reward. Another unexpected finding was that the extrinsic reward made no difference to group identity if the initiation was severe. Effects on ratings of the discussion were nonsignificant. Future research needs to establish how new group members ponder the severity of the admission process during the cost–benefit calculation preceding their identification with a group.     

Characterizing typographic expertise: Do we process typefaces like faces?

Studies of face recognition and discrimination provide a rich source of data and debate on the nature of their processing, in particular through using inverted faces. This study draws parallels between the features of typefaces and faces, as letters share a basic configuration, regardless of typeface, that could be seen as similar to faces. Typeface discrimination is compared using paragraphs of upright letters and inverted letters at three viewing durations. Based on previously reported effects of expertise, the prediction that designers would be less accurate when letters are inverted, whereas nondesigners would have similar performance in both orientations, was confirmed. A proposal is made as to which spatial relations between typeface components constitute holistic and configural processing, posited as the basis for better discrimination of the typefaces of upright letters. Such processing may characterize designers' perceptual abilities, acquired through training.