Abstract
This study was conducted to determine whether repressors and sensitizers would show differential visual recognition in two types of threatening situations. The manipulations of threat were a factorial combination of neutral versus sexual materials and success versus failure feedback. Sixty-four female subjects were classified as either repressors or sensitizers using the Manifest Anxiety Scale. Subjects learned picture-nonsense word paired associates with either neutral (outdoor scenery) or threatening (nude male) pictures as stimuli. Subsequently, subjects were given false feedback (of success or failure) regarding their rate of learning. Subjects were then given a perceptual task which involved recognition of the previous nonsense words. There were no differences in recognition between repressors and sensitizers in the success condition, and when the nonsense words had been paired with neutral pictures. Repressors did take longer than sensitizers to recognize words after the failure experience. Repressors also look longer to recognize the words associated with the threatening pictures. The results support the operation of a generalized perceptual defensiveness in repressors. However, sensitizers showed no indications of perceptual vigilance.
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Mark G. Eberhage is now at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri. Darlene Polek is now at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
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Eberhage, M.G., Polek, D. & Hynan, M.T. Similar effects of different threats on perceptual processes. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 23, 470–472 (1985). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329856
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329856