Student Scholars Day

Trait and Social Influences in the Link between Negative Thinking and Favorable Affect

Kirkhof Center KC20

The link between negative thinking and psychological distress is well established, however, the extent to which this link reflects both a cross-situationally stable part of personality and influences of social context has not been directly examined. Using multivariate generalizability theory (Cronbach et al.), we estimated the extent to which negative thinking is comprised of trait and social influences. Further, we examined the links of these two influences with mental health. In our study, students rated negative thinking and affect when with or thinking about their mothers, fathers and closest peers. We found negative thinking to be significantly comprised of both trait and social influences. Some constructs were more strongly trait-like than socially influenced, while other constructs were equally trait-like and socially influenced. Additionally, the socially influenced aspect of negative thinking was just as strongly related to favorable affect as was the trait-like aspect.