title: Benefits of negative thinking and negative affect: analyses of answers to an open-ended question by Japanese undergraduates.
abstract: What are the benefits of negative thinking and negative affect? Although previous studies in evolutionary psychology, social psychology, and clinical psychology have clarified the question, there has been no definitive study asking people directly about the perceived benefits. In the present study, 119 Japanese undergraduates were asked how they recognized the benefits of negative thinking and negative affect. Their answers were analyzed qualitatively. The answers were arranged into 30 smaller categories and 12 superordinate ones. The benefits were divided into "benefits to the self" and "benefits to interpersonal relations". Finally, the conditions necessary for the negative thinking and negative affect being benign, and possible cultural differences, were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Nihon University, 3-25-40 Sakurajyosui Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. JCB00146@nifty.com
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kobori
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bando
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009341:Negativism; D012649:Self Concept; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012945:Social Values; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking