The Psychology of Counterintentional Effect
The Psychology of Counterintentional Effect

Summary/Abstract: The present research is aiming to develop our understanding of intentional states and their counterintentional effects. The counterintentional effect or error is an effect opposite to but initiated by an intention of the subject to control a state or behavior. It refers to those situations when, trying to obtain something we not only fail but moreover, the greater our desire to succeed, the more likely we are to obtain an opposite effect. For example, the more we want to sleep or to get relaxed, the more aroused we become. The more we want to forget or to avoid thinking of something, the more vivid or intrusive that memory becomes. The situations when the mere intention to control our emotions, our states of mind not only fail but produce massive contrary effects are ubiquitous.

• Details
• Contents