Harris, Philine and Harris, Peter and Miles, Eleanor
(2016).
Self-affirmation improves performance on tasks related to executive functioning.
[Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex:
UK Data Archive.
10.5255/UKDA-SN-852543
Self-affirmation has been shown to alter individuals’ reactions to a wide range of threats, yet comparatively little is known about its cognitive and affective consequences, especially in the immediate aftermath of self-affirmation. This project explored these effects and the role trait self-esteem in moderating them.
Data description (abstract)
This data collection consists of experimental data collected at two time points. The objective of the current study was to explore the effect of self-affirmation on two aspects of performance that have been related to executive functioning: working memory (assessed by a 2-back task) and inhibition (assessed by a Stroop task). The goal was to establish whether self-affirmation improved performance on these tasks. Participants (N = 83) were randomized to either a self-affirmation or a control task and then completed the computerized tasks, in a fixed sequence. Results: Self-affirmed participants performed better than non-affirmed participants on both tasks. Conclusion: Self-affirmation can improve aspects of performance related to executive functioning. This finding may help to explain the wide range of beneficial effects that self-affirmation can have on cognition and behavior.
| Data creators: |
| Creator Name |
Affiliation |
ORCID (as URL) |
| Harris Philine |
University of Sussex |
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6289-129X
|
| Harris Peter |
University of Sussex |
|
| Miles Eleanor |
University of Sussex |
|
|
| Sponsors: |
Economic and Social Research Council
|
| Grant reference: |
ES/J500173/1
|
| Topic classification: |
Psychology
|
| Keywords: |
self-affirmation
|
| Project title: |
Exploring the immediate affective and cognitive consequences of self-affirmation
|
| Grant holders: |
Philine Harris
|
| Project dates: |
| From | To |
|---|
| 30 September 2013 | 30 September 2016 |
|
| Date published: |
08 Dec 2016 10:39
|
| Last modified: |
08 Dec 2016 10:39
|
| Collection period: |
| Date from: | Date to: |
|---|
| 30 September 2013 | 30 September 2016 |
|
| Geographical area: |
Brighton |
| Country: |
United Kingdom |
| Data collection method: |
The data for this study was collected at two time points. At baseline, participants filled out online questionnaires which included personality measures and demographic information. Participants then attended a face-to-face laboratory session, which took place at least two days after the online measures were taken. In this session, they completed the self-affirmation or control task, which was a 10-minute writing task in both conditions. Participants were seen by the experimenter individually, and the experimenter was blind to condition. The main outcome measures were two computer tasks that measured two aspects of executive functioning: working memory and inhibition. Participants were students(N=83) between 18 and 35 years old (M = 20.27, SD = 3.00). |
| Observation unit: |
Individual |
| Kind of data: |
Numeric |
| Type of data: |
Experimental data
|
| Resource language: |
English |
|
| Rights owners: |
|
| Contact: |
|
| Publisher: |
UK Data Archive
|
| Last modified: |
08 Dec 2016 10:39
|
|
Available Files
Data
Documentation
Edit item (login required)
 |
Edit Item |
