Repression and the anxiety-defensiveness factor: Psychological correlates and manifestations

Shulamith Kreitler*, Hans Kreitler

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

The study deals with the nature of repression as currently defined by low anxiety (Taylor's MAS) and high defensiveness (Marlowe-Crowne's Social Desirability Scale), and the psychological reality of the 4-group partition based on anxiety and defensiveness. The subjects, 227 men and women about 40 yr old, were administered questionnaires as part of a health survey. Analyses of variance showed that repressors scored low on Eysenck's neuroticism; low on negative emotions but high on positive emotions (MAACL, MACL); low on negative daydreams and low attentional control (Imaginal Processes Inventory); low on references to others and negative self descriptions but high on positive self descriptions and on experimental and actional contents ("Who-Am-I?"); low on somatic complaints (e.g. SUNYA checklist) but high on the motivation for physical health (Cognitive Orientation of Health, Kreitler & Kreitler). There were no differences in positive daydreaming, alexithymia, locus of control, authoritarianism, and somatization. Analyses of variance with anxiety and defensiveness as separate factors showed the two factors were involved in about half of the cases, but only one factor, mostly anxiety, in the other half. Major conclusions are that repression is a coping mechanism directed selectively against negative or unpleasant aspects and that the four groups have a broad-based psychological reality.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)559-570
Number of pages12
JournalPersonality and Individual Differences
Volume11
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1990

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