Defining the unfavorable by denial

The meaning of a trait adjective may be stated by denying the opposite of the adjective. Does definition by denial follow more from unfavorable than from favorable adjectives? Two hundred sixty-four Ss were divided into two groups, adjectives defined by the F group being favorable-seeming, and those by the U group unfavorable-seeming. The U group produced more denial. A possible explanation had been in terms of least-effort and hedonistic tendencies operating within a bipolar setting; but a tendency for the favorable adjectives to receive more extreme ratings suggests another explanation.