Science News for September 2, 2000

Sensitivity to rewards may distinguish extraverts from introverts

A new study reveals extraverts are more sensitive to rewards in social situations, which drives their sociability. This finding has been replicated across 39 countries and challenges the notion that sociability is a core feature of extraversion.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateSep 2, 2000

Strategies people employ for regulating emotions affect memory for event, according to a new study

Researchers found that attempting to control reactions to emotional events weakens memory, but reappraisal strategies have no such impact. The study suggests that expressive suppression, which involves continually monitoring and correcting oneself, consumes cognitive resources and reduces accuracy of event details.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateSep 2, 2000