ABSTRACT
Three experiments examined whether perceiving thoughts as coming from internal versus external origins are more impactful on attitudes. Participants generated either positive or negative thoughts about different attitude objects, including different diets, and plastic surgery. Then, participants were induced to think that their thoughts came from the self or from an external source. In Experiment 1, participants induced to believe their thoughts originated from the self versus an external source relied on them more to form their attitudes. Experiment 2 demonstrated that when the external origin was associated with properties of validity, people relied on their thoughts more than when thoughts were perceived to come from an internal origin associated with low validity. Experiment 3 showed that the impact of thought origin on evaluations was mediated by greater liking for one's thoughts when they originated in the self.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Thinking , Adult , Emotions , Female , Humans , Male , Perception , Self ConceptABSTRACT
In Western dualistic culture, it is assumed that thoughts cannot be treated as material objects; however, language is replete with metaphorical analogies suggesting otherwise. In the research reported here, we examined whether objectifying thoughts can influence whether the thoughts are used in subsequent evaluations. In Experiment 1, participants wrote about what they either liked or disliked about their bodies. Then, the paper on which they wrote their thoughts was either ripped up and tossed in the trash or kept and checked for errors. When participants physically discarded a representation of their thoughts, they mentally discarded them as well, using them less in forming judgments than did participants who retained a representation of their thoughts. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and also showed that people relied on their thoughts more when they physically kept them in a safe place-putting their thoughts in their pockets-than when they discarded them. A final study revealed that these effects were stronger when the action was performed physically rather than merely imagined.
Subject(s)
Judgment , Mindfulness , Object Attachment , Thinking , Adolescent , Body Image , Female , Humans , Male , Memory, Short-TermABSTRACT
Attitude change toward body image: The role of elaboration on attitude strength. Attitudes toward body image have been shown to play a central role in the understanding and treating of eating disorders. In the present research, participants' attitudes toward their body image were changed through a persuasive procedure involving high mental elaboration (self-persuasion) or through a less engaging procedure involving less active participation (passive exposure). As expected, participants in these two groups showed more favourable attitudes toward their bodies than those in the control group. Despite that both treatments were equally efficient in changing attitudes, the strength associated with those attitudes was significantly different depending on the amount of thinking involved in the process of change. Specifically, attitudes were stronger in the high rather than low thinking group of treatment. This finding is important because the strength of the attitude may determine the long-term consequences of an intervention.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Body Image , Psychotherapy/methods , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Young AdultABSTRACT
Las actitudes hacia la imagen que las personas tienen de su cuerpo constituyen un elemento central en la comprensión y el tratamiento de los trastornos del comportamiento alimentario (TCA). En el presente trabajo de investigación se llevó a cabo un estudio en el que se modificaron las actitudes hacia el cuerpo de los participantes a través de un tratamiento persuasivo que implicaba una alta elaboración mental (autopersuasión) o a través de un procedimiento que requería menos participación activa (exposición pasiva). Tal y como se esperaba, los participantes de los dos grupos de tratamiento mostraron unas actitudes hacia su cuerpo significativamente más favorables que aquellos del grupo control. No obstante, a pesar de que los dos grupos de tratamiento mostraron un cambio de actitudes similar, la fuerza de las mismas varió en función del procedimiento a través del cual se modificaron dichas actitudes. El grupo de alta elaboración mostró unas actitudes más fuertes que el grupo de baja elaboración. Este último resultado tiene una importancia considerable para el tratamiento de los TCA puesto que la fuerza de las actitudes determina el impacto a largo plazo de las mismas (AU)
Attitudes toward body image have been shown to play a central role in the understanding and treating of eating disorders. In the present research, participants attitudes toward their body image were changed through a persuasive procedure involving high mental elaboration (self-persuasion) or through a less engaging procedure involving less active participation (passive exposure). As expected, participants in these two groups showed more favourable attitudes toward their bodies than those in the control group. Despite that both treatments were equally efficient in changing attitudes, the strength associated with those attitudes was significantly different depending on the amount of thinking involved in the process of change. Specifically, attitudes were stronger in the high rather than low thinking group of treatment. This finding is important because the strength of the attitude may determine the long-term consequences of an intervention (AU)
