The study looks at the differences between reactive and proactive control. Reactive control is when we take an unwanted thought and try to reject or suppress it. Proactive control is when we try to prevent an unwanted thought from arising. The second method has proven to be preferable and more efficient.
In the experiment, the researchers asked 80 volunteers in turn to come up with new associations for 60 commonly used words displayed on the screen. Each word was randomly presented five times. Participants were divided into two groups: one group was told beforehand that the volunteers would forfeit their monetary rewards for repeating any associations, the other group was not given such instructions. This made it possible to make some thoughts undesirable for people in the first group. For example, the relationship between “chair” and “table” was considered obsolete and undesirable.
After examining the results, the researchers concluded that the volunteers trying to avoid repetition mostly thought of previously used words and then rejected them—this was reactive control. However, people have had some success in the task. They still had proactive checks.
Therefore, it should be trained not to allow unwanted thoughts to enter the head and not to try to suppress them.
Source: Ferra
