Emotional Disclosure and Social Judgment

Abstract

Negative emotions can negatively bias social judgment. However, these emotions can be tempered when expressed, suggesting that emotional disclosure might enable fairer evaluations. Three projects confirmed this prediction. Subjects who disclosed about a past betrayal, compared to those who suppressed, felt closer to their betrayers—the first step toward forgiveness. Disclosing the emotions evoked by viewing an assault, compared with suppressing those feelings, reduced victim blaming. Disclosure did not reduce blaming of victimizers, indicating that disclosure addresses specific emotions rather than calms general arousal. A recent study showed that disclosing a personal travail of any kind promotes acceptance of COVID-19 facts among political conservatives. Collectively, these results indicate that expressing troubling thoughts and feelings can enhance social judgment.