RESEARCH_FILE
Christina R. Furman
University of Michigan
Known for:Extending distanced self-talk research into behavioral goal pursuit, demonstrating that name-based deliberation produces healthier real-world decisions, not just improved felt emotion
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“Something is wrong with me”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“I am noticing a thought, not standing inside a verdict.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
On paper or in a notes app, list one recent mistake using only concrete facts. Under it, write two separate lines: “What happened” and “What it does not prove.” Stop there and delete nothing.
Key findings
- 2020
In a randomized experiment on dietary goal pursuit, Furman, Kross and Gearhardt found that participants instructed to use their own name when deliberating about food choices made healthier food decisions than those using first-person self-talk, with the effect reaching p < .001 — the first demonstration that distanced self-talk enhances actual goal pursuit behavior, not just emotional experience. Distanced Self-Talk Enhances Goal Pursuit to Eat Healthier ↗