The DOI matches its Crossref record; 22 of the 22 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Making Meaning out of Negative Experiences by Self-Distancing
Abstract
Both common wisdom and findings from multiple areas of research suggest that it is helpful to understand and make meaning out of negative experiences. However, people’s attempts to do so often backfire, leading them to ruminate and feel worse. Here we attempt to shed light on these seemingly contradictory sets of findings by examining the role that self-distancing plays in facilitating adaptive self-reflection. We begin by briefly describing the “self-reflection paradox.” We then define self-distancing, present evidence from multiple levels of analysis that illustrate how this process facilitates adaptive self-reflection, and discuss the basic science and practical implications of this research.
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In the citing paper
“Whilst working through the trauma memory is beneficial for constructing an elaborated and organized perspective of the event, a narrow and self-immersed perspective and focus on recounting details and personal reactions might undermine adaptive self-reflection (29) as well as the resolution of initial post-traumatic stress reactions.”
From Early Linguistic Markers of Trauma-Specific Processing Predict Post-trauma Adjustment (2018) · cites this paper as [29]
In the citing paper
“Kross, Ayduk and colleagues have shown in a novel series of studies that analyzing the meaning of memories and experiences (e.g. thinking about why they may have occurred) from a self-distanced perspective can reap mental health benefits (see Kross & Ayduk, 2011; for a summary).”
From Beneficial effects of training in self-distancing and perspective broadening for people with a history of recurrent depression (2017) · cites this paper as Kross & Ayduk, 2011
In the citing paper
“This confirms the findings from earlier work (Kross & Ayduk, 2011) that self-distancing from distressing information can be beneficial (cf. Kuyken & Moulds, 2009) if participants are provided with functional ways to process the information from a self-distanced stance, in this case using appraisals to broaden perspective.”
From Beneficial effects of training in self-distancing and perspective broadening for people with a history of recurrent depression (2017) · cites this paper as Kross & Ayduk, 2011
Citations
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Self-citationExplaining Away: A Model of Affective Adaptation
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Self-citationFrom a distance: Implications of spontaneous self-distancing for adaptive self-reflection.
Ayduk, Ö., & Kross, E. (2010) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0019205 · Cited by 347
Self-citationKross, E., Davidson, M., Weber, J., & Ochsner, K. (2009) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.10.019 · Cited by 295
Self-citationSocial Class, Culture, and Cognition
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Enhancing the Pace of Recovery
Ayduk, Ö. N., & Kross, E. F. (2008) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02073.x · Cited by 200
Self-citationThe Impact of Culture on Adaptive Versus Maladaptive Self-Reflection
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Self-citationGruber, J., Harvey, A. G., & Johnson, S. L. (2009) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.05.005 · Cited by 135
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Self-citation
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Kross E., Emotion
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Garland, E. L., Farb, N. A., R. Goldin, P., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2015) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1080/1047840x.2015.1064294 · Cited by 810
Interacting with nature improves cognition and affect for individuals with depression
Berman, M. G., Kross, E., Krpan, K. M., Askren, M. K., Burson, A., Deldin, P. J., Kaplan, S., Sherdell, L., Gotlib, I. H., & Jonides, J. (2012) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.03.012 · Cited by 799
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Kross, E., & Ayduk, O.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- University of California, Berkeley
- ORCID
- Kross, Ethan
- Venue
- Current Directions in Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2011-05-24
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 187-191
- ISSN
- 0963-7214 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8721
- OpenAlex
- W2156427607
- Cited by
- 460
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 47 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 77 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 30.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Directions in Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
- Keywords
- self-distancing, negative experiences, meaning-making, self-reflection, rumination, emotion regulation
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