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Automatic activation of self-discrepancies and emotional syndromes: when cognitive structures influence affect.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Strauman, TJ; Higgins, ET
Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology
December 1987

Different types of self-discrepancies are associated with different negative affects. Two studies were conducted to determine whether automatic activation of specific actual-self: self-guide mismatches, as cognitive structures, would induce distinct emotional states. Subjects possessing significant discrepancies between their actual self and either their ideal self-guide (attributes that someone wishes or hopes the person would possess) or their ought self-guide (attributes that someone believes the person has the duty or obligation to possess) responded verbally to an audiotape while "thinking about other people." Study 1 involved two kinds of priming attributes: self-relevant and yoked (another subject's self-relevant attributes). Activating mismatches induced momentary syndromes of dejection (sadness, decreased arousal) in ideal-discrepant subjects but induced agitation (nervousness, increased arousal) in ought-discrepant subjects. In Study 2, subjects were randomized to either self-relevant/nondiscrepant, self-discrepant, or yoked priming. The findings of Study 1 were replicated for the self-discrepant priming condition alone. Results indicate that (a) mismatches constitute cognitive structures and (b) automatic activation of different mismatches via contextual priming induces distinct types of emotional discomfort.

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Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

December 1987

Volume

53

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1004 / 1014

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • Set, Psychology
  • Self Concept
  • Individuality
  • Humans
  • Depression
  • Arousal
  • Adult
  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
 

Citation

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Strauman, T. J., & Higgins, E. T. (1987). Automatic activation of self-discrepancies and emotional syndromes: when cognitive structures influence affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1004–1014. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.53.6.1004
Strauman, T. J., and E. T. Higgins. “Automatic activation of self-discrepancies and emotional syndromes: when cognitive structures influence affect.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 53, no. 6 (December 1987): 1004–14. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.53.6.1004.
Strauman TJ, Higgins ET. Automatic activation of self-discrepancies and emotional syndromes: when cognitive structures influence affect. Journal of personality and social psychology. 1987 Dec;53(6):1004–14.
Strauman, T. J., and E. T. Higgins. “Automatic activation of self-discrepancies and emotional syndromes: when cognitive structures influence affect.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 53, no. 6, Dec. 1987, pp. 1004–14. Epmc, doi:10.1037//0022-3514.53.6.1004.
Strauman TJ, Higgins ET. Automatic activation of self-discrepancies and emotional syndromes: when cognitive structures influence affect. Journal of personality and social psychology. 1987 Dec;53(6):1004–1014.

Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

December 1987

Volume

53

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1004 / 1014

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • Set, Psychology
  • Self Concept
  • Individuality
  • Humans
  • Depression
  • Arousal
  • Adult
  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology