Conditions for Effective Reflection

1. Positive Emotions

• The more positive emotions expressed during reflection, the more effective it is.
• Effectiveness decreases when negative emotional words are absent entirely.
• It is necessary to reflect optimistically while acknowledging negative events.
• A “whatever, it’s all good” attitude diminishes the effectiveness of reflection.

2. Narrative Structure

• Cognitive-level words such as “think,” “realize,” and “because” are important.
• An increase in cognitive word frequency in the latter part of reflection predicts effectiveness.
• This signifies finding meaning and constructing a coherent story.
• Rather than a fully formed story from the start, generating a new story throughout the process is what matters.
• Repeatedly telling the same story about the same event yields minimal reflective benefit.
• It is essential to create a new narrative about the same event through reflection.

3. Shift in Perspective

• Repeatedly alternating between self-referential pronouns and other pronouns is beneficial.
• Shifting perspectives is important.
• The ability to view events from another person’s perspective, not just one’s own, is necessary.
• The importance of perspective-shifting is also emphasized in counseling and criminal psychology.
• In witness interviews, perspective-shifting is associated with improved recall and reduced errors.