<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
				
				<p> It is hard to provide an unequivocal answer to the question of whether or not thought suppression is effective. Two thought suppression paradigms - the “white bear” paradigm and the think/no-think paradigm - give mixed results. Generally, “white bear” experiments indicate that thought suppression is counterproductive, while experiments in the think/no-think paradigm suggest that it is possible to effectively suppress a thought. There are also alternative methods used to study thought suppression, for instance the directed forgetting paradigm or the Stroop task. In the article, I describe the research methods used to explore thought suppression efficacy. I focus on the “white bear” and the think/no-think paradigms and discuss theories proposed to explain the results obtained. I also consider the internal and external validity of the methods used.</p>
			</abstract>

It is hard to provide an unequivocal answer to the question of whether or not thought suppression is effective. Two thought suppression paradigms - the “white bear” paradigm and the think/no-think paradigm - give mixed results. Generally, “white bear” experiments indicate that thought suppression is counterproductive, while experiments in the think/no-think paradigm suggest that it is possible to effectively suppress a thought. There are also alternative methods used to study thought suppression, for instance the directed forgetting paradigm or the Stroop task. In the article, I describe the research methods used to explore thought suppression efficacy. I focus on the “white bear” and the think/no-think paradigms and discuss theories proposed to explain the results obtained. I also consider the internal and external validity of the methods used.

Thought Suppression Research Methods: Paradigms, Theories, Methodological Concerns

Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

It is hard to provide an unequivocal answer to the question of whether or not thought suppression is effective. Two thought suppression paradigms - the “white...

Thought Suppression Research Methods: Paradigms, Theories, Methodological Concerns

Published Online: Mar 16, 2017

Page range: 241 - 251

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/slgr-2016-0065

Keywords
thought suppression, the “white bear” paradigm, the think/no-think paradigm, external validity, internal validity

© Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Thought Suppression Research Methods: Paradigms, Theories, Methodological Concerns

Published Online: Mar 16, 2017

Page range: 241 - 251

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/slgr-2016-0065

Keywordsthought suppression, the “white bear” paradigm, the think/no-think paradigm, external validity, internal validity

© Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
thought suppression, the “white bear” paradigm, the think/no-think paradigm, external validity, internal validity