Participants in a research study are told that they must try not to think about a clown riding a unicycle.According to the theory of ironic processes of mental control:
A)participants will devote way too much of our time and energy trying to accomplish this rather simple task.
B)participants will successfully repress memories of clowns into their unconscious.
C)part of the participants' minds will actively search for this clown.
D)in suppressing this thought,participants will do poorly on simple cognitive tests such as addition and subtraction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the theory of ironic processes of mental control, trying not to think about something actually increases the likelihood of that thought coming to mind. Therefore, participants' minds will actively search for the image of a clown riding a unicycle despite their attempts to suppress it.

Participants in a Research Study Are Told That They Must