Ironic processes of mental control
Wegner's theory explains why trying not to think about something makes it more present. Any attempt to control the mind, he argues, sets two processes running. One searches for material consistent with the intended state, actively creating the thoughts you want; the other monitors for material inconsistent with it, checking whether the first process is needed. The monitoring process therefore has to keep the unwanted thought available in order to detect it. Normally the operating process is stronger and control succeeds. But the operating process requires mental capacity and the monitoring process needs very little, so under stress, distraction, fatigue or time pressure the monitor outlasts the operator, and the system delivers precisely what it was trying to avoid. That is the ironic effect: the conditions under which people most want to control their minds are the conditions under which the attempt backfires. This vault cites it whenever suppression is proposed as a strategy.
Wegner's theory explains why trying not to think about something makes it more present. Any attempt to control the mind, he argues, sets two processes running. One searches for material consistent with the intended state, actively creating the thoughts you want; the other monitors for material inconsistent with it, checking whether the first process is needed. The monitoring process therefore has to keep the unwanted thought available in order to detect it. Normally the operating process is stronger and control succeeds. But the operating process requires mental capacity and the monitoring process needs very little, so under stress, distraction, fatigue or time pressure the monitor outlasts the operator, and the system delivers precisely what it was trying to avoid. That is the ironic effect: the conditions under which people most want to control their minds are the conditions under which the attempt backfires. This vault cites it whenever suppression is proposed as a strategy.
Written from the abstract, OpenAlex.
What our sources record
Reproduced as it was written when this source was checked, figures and all.
Wegner, D. M. (1994). “Ironic processes of mental control.” Psychological Review, 101(1), 34-52.
Where we use it
- Willpower Is Not a Fuel Tank, Why We Act
Reliability of this reference
The link below was matched against the publisher's record on title, first author and year, and all three agree.
The source
https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.101.1.34
DOI: 10.1037/0033-295X.101.1.34