Version 2 2020-01-28, 16:50Version 2 2020-01-28, 16:50
Version 1 2009-08-24, 10:22Version 1 2009-08-24, 10:22
thesis
posted on 2020-01-28, 16:50authored byDarren Ellis
The research in this thesis focuses on the ways in which participants represent
highly charged negative emotional experiences in narrative form through vocal
disclosures, and the relationships between disclosure style and
psychophysiological activity. This thesis also attempts to theorise some of the
psychophysiological mechanisms that may be associated with the effects of
emotional disclosure. Participants were randomly assigned to an emotion
(disclosure) group (n = 16) in which they talked about a particular highly charged
negative experience, or a neutral (control) group (n = 16) in which they talked
about their typical morning. Participants undertook these tasks on three separate
occasions, each separated by one week. Skin conductance levels (SCLs) were
measured throughout. Statistical analyses were conducted to look at possible
SCL differences between the two groups and associations between the disclosure
style and SCL variations. Although there were no statistically significant
differences between the two groups’ SCLs, there were significant differences in
SCLs with regard to disclosure style. Qualitative narrative and discourse analyses
were undertaken on 4 selected participants, chosen on the basis of clinically
significant SCL moves. These analyses revealed that neutral participants also
engaged in forms of emotional disclosure through forms of identity negotiation
that were constructed within their talk concerning their typical mornings. The
qualitative analysis also identified disclosure styles that may be associated with
variations in psychophysiological activity.