The effects of familiarity on thought-action fusion

► Examined whether TAF is related to the target of the negative thought. ► Used a TAF induction that manipulated the familiarity of the target subject. ► Thinking of a relative being diagnosed with cancer was associated with greater TAF. ► The more personally significant the thought, the more distress it provoked. ► Findings support Rachman, 1997, Rachman, 1998 cognitive model of obsessions.