The effects of induced cognitive coping styles on affect states.

Abstract

This study examined the effects of induced cognitive coping styles on negative and positive affect states by means of an experimental design. For this study 61 students from the University Utrecht were allocated to one of three conditions in which three cognitive coping styles, namely positive re-appraisal, concreteness thinking and rumination, were induced. Students filled out questionnaires on the computer and were asked to think about a stressful situation currently in their lives. Affect states were measured before and after the induction of condition. ANCOVAS were performed to examine the effects of cognitive coping styles on affect. The natural tendency to ruminate did not significantly influence the effects of condition on affect states. Positive re-appraisal was found to be a more constructive cognitive coping style than rumination as it leads to more positive affect and less negative affect and more constructive than concreteness thinking as it leads to less negative affect. Concreteness thinking was found to be a more constructive cognitive coping style than rumination as it leads to more positive affect. These results are supported by previous findings (Park et al., 2004; Rood et al., 2012). However, future research should focus on long term effects of these cognitive coping styles as well as effects on third, cognitive variables such as executive functions.