Individual differences in the memory representation of emotional episodes: Exploring the cognitive processes in repression

Two studies investigated the influence of a repressive coping style on the availability and accessibility of emotion memories. In Study 1 participants rated the presence and intensity of emotions in several scenarios and then estimated the frequency of emotions in the scenarios. Repressors did not process the scenarios more superficially. Repressors indicated the presence of unpleasant emotions in the scenarios less frequently, but not less intensely. The frequency differences accounted for most of the repression effects in the latter frequency judgments. In Study 2 participants judged the frequency of emotions twice a day for 2 weeks and then judged the frequency of emotions for the 1st and 2nd week. Repression effects in the frequency judgments did not increase with longer retention intervals. The results indicate that a repressive coping style influences mainly the experience of emotions but not so much the accessibility of emotion memories.