Cultural differences in revisiting negative experiences : the role of attribution

Author / Creator

Choi, Jeong Ha, 1991- author

Available as

Online

Physical

Summary

While most researchers have suggested that "revisiting negative experiences" is associated with emotional and mental health issues, a growing body of cross-cultural research suggests that such thin...

While most researchers have suggested that "revisiting negative experiences" is associated with emotional and mental health issues, a growing body of cross-cultural research suggests that such thinking may not have the same maladaptive effects across cultures. This dissertation aims to contribute to the existing literature on revisiting negative experiences by applying a sociocultural cognition perspective. As cultures vary in how changes in personal attributes are perceived, we propose that cultures differ in people's attributions for revisiting negative experiences and how such revisiting relates to psychological correlates and physiological responses. To test these predictions, we first developed and validated the Attribution of Revisiting Negative Experiences (ARNE) scale, tested cultural differences in ARNE (Study 1a), and further examined its relationship with other theoretically related measures (Study 1b). Study 2a attempted to replicate previous findings on cultural differences in the correlation of revisiting and negative psychological correlates and examined whether the ARNE may help explain such cross-cultural variation. Study 2b focused on the moderating role of ARNE within an Asian only sample, with Theory of Mind as a possible alternative explanation for the observed cultural differences in ARNE from Study 1a and 2a. Study 2c further examined whether the moderating role of self-doubt attribution found in Study 2a and 2b will remain significant after controlling for the potential moderating role of uncontrollability of ruminative thought. Study 2c also examined the moderating role ARNE on the association between revisiting negative experiences and positive psychological correlates. Lastly, moving beyond correlational studies, we conducted a preliminary study to examine how attributions for revisiting negative experiences predict cardiovascular responses to an emotionally stressful recall task in the laboratory (Study 3). Together, the current dissertation aimed to help understand cultural differences as well as individual differences in the magnitude of the association between revisiting negative experiences and negative psychological and physiological outcomes.

Show More