What I Don't Recall Can't Hurt Me: Information Negativity Versus Information Inconsistency As Determinants of Memorial Self-defense

Abstract

According to the mnemic neglect model, people are threatened by feedback that has unfavorable implications for their central self-aspects, and, as a result, they recall it poorly. What is the locus of such poor recall (i.e., mnemic neglect)? Experiment 1 examined the role of information inconsistency. If mnemic neglect is due to expectancy violation, then it will be observed for any referent (e.g., self, friend, glowingly-described other) controlling for expectancy positivity. Mnemic neglect was obtained for the self but not a friend or a glowingly-described other. Experiment 2 disentangled the roles of information inconsistency and information negativity. Participants with positive and those with negative self-concepts both manifested mnemic neglect. Negative, rather than inconsistent, feedback drives mnemic neglect.