Suppressing thoughts about chocolate

Objective: Thought suppression frequently results in subsequent hyperaccess ibility of the suppressed thoughts. This study investigated whether this ef fect transfers to behavior. Does suppressing thoughts result in a subsequen t increase in the performance of behaviors related to those thoughts? Metho d: Twenty chocolate cravers and 22 noncravers were instructed to suppress c hocolate-related thoughts in an articulated thoughts task or they were give n no specific instructions. Participants then completed a computer-based ta sk which yielded chocolate rewards. Results: Both cravers and noncravers co uld suppress chocolate-related thoughts when instructed to do so. Both grou ps of participants showed greater performance, and hence earned more chocol ate, in the suppression than control condition (p < .05). Discussion: Behav ioral control may follow many of the same ironic pathways traced by mental control. (C) 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.