RESEARCH_FILE
Edward R. Watkins
University of Exeter
Known for:Research on the distinction between abstract, evaluative rumination and concrete, process-focused thinking — and how this distinction explains the cognitive costs of brooding
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“I'll never find anyone else”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“This is one loss, not the full map of my life.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Put your phone face down, choose one object in the room that belongs to your next hour, and quietly return it to its place. Then sit with the room for 30 seconds without checking anything.
Key findings
- 2008
Watkins published a review showing that abstract, evaluative self-focus — characteristic of depressive brooding — is associated with impaired problem-solving and sustained negative affect, while concrete, process-focused thinking is associated with reduced negative affect and improved cognitive flexibility, regardless of the emotional valence of the content. Constructive and Unconstructive Repetitive Thought ↗