Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Even though intentions works as predictors for behavior, research has shown a weak relation between the two. Implementation intentions has been shown to be effective in bridging the gap between intention and behavior, under various circumstances, for example when it comes to emotion regulation. Implementation intentions are ”If... then”-plans that connect a situation to a desired behavior. This study examined implementation intentions effectiveness in regulating fear in spider fearful participants when presented with spider stimuli, with an increasing grade of strain. The study partially replicated Schweiger Gallo et al.:s (2009) study, and extended it by having longer duration of picture-exposure, showing a video and also a casted spider skin. A behavior measure was added to the spider skin condition. The changes were intended to increase the ecological validity of the study and to test implementation intentions under more strenuous circumstances than before studied in emotion regulation. The results supported implementation intentions effectiveness in helping to induce behaviors that are congruent with intentions, when it came to measures with behavior. No differences between the groups were found for self-report measures in any of the conditions. Contrary to the hypothesis, mere goal intentions were found to be more effective in regulating arousal during exposure to the video.
Authors: Sofie Mattsson, Christian Boman
Language: Swedish
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1793320403