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Cited by 171Social and Intergroup PsychologyBehavioral Health and InterventionsDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

Saying no to unwanted thoughts: Self-focus and the regulation of mental life.

Macrae, C. Neil, Bodenhausen, Galen V., Milne, Alan B.·1998·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.74.3.578
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Abstract

Drawing from models of mental control and cognitive self-regulation, it was hypothesized that heightened self-focus would promote the spontaneous suppression of social stereotypes. Participants who were induced to experience heightened self-focus indeed produced less stereotypic descriptions of social targets (Studies 1-4). Study 5 further demonstrated that self-focus produced reductions in stereotyping only among those participants whose personal standards dictated stereotype avoidance. A final study demonstrated that these spontaneous forms of stereotype suppression can produce a rebound effect, in which the magnitude of stereotyping increases markedly after a period of suppression. These findings are considered in the context of contemporary issues in mental control and social stereotyping.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.74.3.578

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  • Stereotype suppression can lead to a number of negative, unintended consequences.

    “Stereotype suppression (e.g., trying to push away any stereotypic thoughts that arise while in the presence of an African-American patient) can lead to a number of negative, unintended consequences.”

    From Reducing Racial Bias Among Health Care Providers: Lessons from Social-Cognitive Psychology (2007) · cites this paper as [62]

  • Experiments testing the impact of instructions to avoid stereotyping have shown very short-term benefit with a rebound effect, in which the stereotype later recurred at a higher rate than among control groups who were not instructed to suppress.

    “Experiments testing the impact of instructions to avoid stereotyping have shown very short-term benefit with a “rebound effect,” in which the stereotype later recurred at a higher rate than among the control groups who were not instructed to suppress.61–64”

    From Reducing Racial Bias Among Health Care Providers: Lessons from Social-Cognitive Psychology (2007) · cites this paper as [62]

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Authors
Macrae, C. N., Bodenhausen, G. V., & Milne, A. B.
Affiliations
  • University of St Andrews (GB)
  • University of Aberdeen (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
1998
Volume
74
Issue
3
Pages
578-589
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.74.3.578
OpenAlex
W2003491821
Cited by
171
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 10
FWCI
26.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords
self-focus, stereotype suppression, social stereotyping, cognitive self-regulation, mental control, rebound effect, personal standards, intrusive thoughts
MeSH terms
Adult, Arousal, Awareness, Female, Galvanic Skin Response, Humans, Internal-External Control, Mental Recall, Stereotyping, Students, Thinking, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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