Thought Suppression
Annual Review of PsychologyPublished 1 February 2000
Richard M. Wenzlaff, Daniel M. Wegner
Citations1,003
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score13.79
SNIP13.63
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Abstract
Although thought suppression is a popular form of mental control, research has indicated that it can be counterproductive, helping assure the very state of mind one had hoped to avoid. This chapter reviews the research on suppression, which spans a wide range of domains, including emotions, memory, interpersonal processes, psychophysiological reactions, and psychopathology. The chapter considers the relevant methodological and theoretical issues and suggests directions for future research.
Keywords
Psychology
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