Psychology: Techniques and Application

Psychology: Techniques and Application ›› 2025, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (8): 457-468.

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The Effect of Self-Esteem on Directed Forgetting of Negative Memories in Middle School Students

  

  • Accepted:2025-06-11 Online:2025-07-30 Published:2025-07-30

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Abstract:

This study employed the directed forgetting paradigm to investigate self-esteem's influence on directed forgetting of negative memories in middle school students. Experiment 1 explored individual differences by comparing directed forgetting abilities of high- and low-self-esteem students. Results showed that high self-esteem individuals exhibits stronger directed forgetting of negative memories than low-self-esteem individuals, with no significant differences in neutral memory forgetting between groups. This suggests
that emotional valence (neutral vs. negative) moderates the self-esteem-directed forgetting relationship. Experiment 2 and Experiment 3 examined self-esteem's influence through interventions. Experiment 2 showed that positive self-activation significantly enhances directed forgetting, particularly for negative memories, indicating that positive self-activation can improve the directed forgetting of negative memories. Experiment 3 revealed that self-esteem threat priming doesn't affect directed forgetting. Collectively, enhancing positive self-evaluation strengthens selective forgetting of negative memories.

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[1] ZHANG Lihua, WANG Lexin.
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