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Trait anxiety, working memory capacity, and the effectiveness of memory suppression

Waldhauser, Gerd LU ; Johansson, Mikael LU orcid ; Bäckström, Martin LU and Mecklinger, Axel (2011) In Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52. p.21-27
Abstract
Trait anxiety, working memory capacity, and the effectiveness of memory suppression. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. We aimed at replicating the finding that humans are able to suppress unwanted memories, and tested whether this ability varies with individual differences in working memory capacity, trait anxiety and defensiveness. In a think/no-think experiment, participants either recalled or suppressed previously learned words for 0, 8 or 16 times. Suppression did not have an overall detrimental effect on later recall performance. However, higher recall rates after repeated suppression were exclusively predicted by higher trait anxiety. These results are discussed in relation to current theories on anxiety and executive control.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
volume
52
pages
21 - 27
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000286248900003
  • scopus:78651472364
  • pmid:21054419
ISSN
1467-9450
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-9450.2010.00845.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5d3a1a8f-df77-46d1-b6ab-f25260103c08 (old id 1625401)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:57:59
date last changed
2022-01-27 22:06:00
@article{5d3a1a8f-df77-46d1-b6ab-f25260103c08,
  abstract     = {{Trait anxiety, working memory capacity, and the effectiveness of memory suppression. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. We aimed at replicating the finding that humans are able to suppress unwanted memories, and tested whether this ability varies with individual differences in working memory capacity, trait anxiety and defensiveness. In a think/no-think experiment, participants either recalled or suppressed previously learned words for 0, 8 or 16 times. Suppression did not have an overall detrimental effect on later recall performance. However, higher recall rates after repeated suppression were exclusively predicted by higher trait anxiety. These results are discussed in relation to current theories on anxiety and executive control.}},
  author       = {{Waldhauser, Gerd and Johansson, Mikael and Bäckström, Martin and Mecklinger, Axel}},
  issn         = {{1467-9450}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{21--27}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Psychology}},
  title        = {{Trait anxiety, working memory capacity, and the effectiveness of memory suppression}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9450.2010.00845.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1467-9450.2010.00845.x}},
  volume       = {{52}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}