Thinking about the self influences thinking in general: Cognitive consequences of salient self-concept

Abstract

Two studies support our hypothesis that connected and interdependent self-focus evokes a generally context-dependent cognitive mode (focused on object–context relations) and provide some evidence that separate and independent self-focus evokes a generally context-independent cognitive mode (focused on objects,independent of contexts). Consistent with our predictions,experimental manipulation of interdependent self-focus influences cognitive speed/accuracy (Experiment 1) and memory (Experiment 2). When primed self-focus is congruent with the perceptual task at hand,perceptual speed increases (as shown by a significant task by prime interaction effect) and when primed, interdependent self-focus improves memory for incidentally encoded contextual information. Further research to link primed and chronic self-focus effects is called for.