Cognitive avoidance, positive affect, and gender as predictors of the processing of aversive information

Abstract The study investigated the influence of cognitive avoidance, positive affect, and gender on the evaluation of and memory for threat-related information varying in degrees of aversiveness and ambiguity. Stimulus material consisted of threatening, nonthreatening, and ambiguous pictures. First, valence ratings of the stimuli were collected. This phase was followed by a first memory test. A second memory test was administered three days later. Memory for aversive information was influenced by cognitive avoidance, positive affect, and gender. Avoiders exhibited a comparatively good memory for aversive information in the first (immediate) test and a very poor memory in the delayed testing. A similar pattern was obtained for individuals high in positive affect. Compared to men, women gave more negative ratings to aversive and ambiguous pictures and had a better memory for ambiguous information in the immediate test. Results are discussed within the framework of the repressive discontinuity hypothesis proposed by Hock and Krohne [Hock, M., Krohne, H. W. (2004). Coping with threat and memory for ambiguous information: Testing the repressive discontinuity hypothesis. Emotion , 4, 65–86].