Does mode of processing during a positive experience have consequences for affect?

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Rumination about negative material (e.g., depression symptoms, current problems) contributes to the course and maintenance of depression. More recently, studies have shown that it is not rumination per se, but rather the mode of processing (i.e., abstract/analytical versus concrete/experiential) adopted during rumination that is critical in determining whether rumination has adaptive or maladaptive outcomes. To date, only one study has examined the affective impact of adopting a particular processing mode with positive material; specifically, when recalling a happy memory. The current study extends this line of investigation by examining whether adopting an abstract or concrete processing mode during a positive experience (i.e., a success task) has consequences for subsequent affect.

METHODS

High and low dysphoric participants (N = 136) were randomly allocated to abstract, concrete or no training conditions prior to a success experience. Affect was measured before and after success.

RESULTS

We found that neither processing mode condition nor dysphoria status had consequences for the affective impact of success.

LIMITATIONS: Our findings are based on an analogue sample. Further research is required to enable generalisation to depression.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides some initial indication in a non-clinical sample that processing mode does not have the same differential affective impact when combined with a positive experience (e.g., success) as when combined with a negative experience (e.g., failure).