Julie Fitness

When Hurt Will Not Heal Exploring the Capacity to Relive Social and Physical Pain

Recent discoveries suggest that socialpain is as real and intense as physical pain, and that the social-pain system may have piggybacked on the brain structure that had evolved earlier for physical pain. The present study examined an important distinction between social and physical pain: Individuals can relive and reexperience social pain more easily and more intensely than physical pain. Studies 1 and 2 showed that people reported higher levels of pain after reliving a past socially painful event than after reliving a past physically painful event. Studies 3 and 4 found, in addition, that people performed worse on cognitively demanding tasks after they relived social rather than physical pain. Implications for research on social pain and theories about social pain are discussed.

Moral Hypervigilance: The Influence of Disgust Sensitivity in the Moral Domain

Evidence exists that immoral behavior can elicit disgust. The authors thus proposed that highly disgust-sensitive individuals would be particularly repelled by exposure to transgressors and, consequently, would think and behave in ways aimed at reducing the risk of such exposure occurring--a syndrome the authors call moral hypervigilance. To examine these ideas, the authors began in Study 1 by testing the notion that people are disgusted by moral deviants. Evidence was found that participants exposed to descriptions of criminals experienced disgust. Across 2 further studies, disgust sensitivity (DS) was found to be associated with phenomena indicative of moral hypervigilance. In Study 2, mock jurors high on DS were biased toward conviction. In Study 3, DS predicted several hypothesized outcomes: higher estimates of the probability that suspects described in crime vignettes were culpable; a proclivity to attribute evilness to, and recommend lengthy sentences for, criminals; and inflated perceptions of community crime levels.

Thinking/Feeling about Social and Personal Relationships

Traditionally it has been assumed that cognition and emotion are separate and competing forces, with cognition representing rationality and emotion representing irrationality. However, recent theoretical and empirical work has demonstrated the symbiotic nature of the relationship between these complementary ways of apprehending and understanding the world. In this review, we discuss the functionality and logic of emotions and their impact on perception, cognition, and memory in social and personal relationships. Theory and research on the nature and development of emotion knowledge structures and emotional intelligence in relationships is also discussed, along with a consideration of cross-cultural differences in peoples understandings about the nature of, and relationship between, thinking and feeling. The article closes with a call for a more integrated understanding of and feeling for the dynamics of social and personal relationships.

University student and lecturer perceptions of positive emotions in learning

This paper presents results of an investigation exploring the experience and functionality of positive feelings and emotions in learning and teaching. The role of emotions in learning is receiving increasing attention; however, few studies have researched how university students and academics experience and perceive positive emotions. A prototype approach to emotion measurement is used to analyse interview data of students and lecturers at an Australian university. Themes associated with five positive emotions are explored and student and lecturer views compared.

Social relationships : cognitive, affective, and motivational processes

Part 1. Introduction and Basic Principles. J.P. Forgas, J. Fitness, Introductory Remarks, History Background and Issues of Research on Personal Relationships. E. Hatfield, R. Rapson, Passionate Love and Sexual Desire: Multicultural Perspectives. M. Haselton, G. Gonzaga, The Evolution of Love. P. Shaver, M. Mikulincer, Augmenting the Sense of Security in Romantic, Leader-Follower, Therapeutic, and Group Relations: A Relational Model of Personality Change. D.P. Schmitt, Attachment Matters: The Personality and Sexuality Correlates of Romantic Attachment across Cultures, Genders, and Relationship Forms. Part 2. Cognitive Processes in Relationships. G. Fletcher, Is Love Blind? L. Acitelli, Do Relationship Reflections Help or Hurt Close Relationships? P. Clark, How Attentional Flexibility Builds High Quality Close Relationships. C. Agnew, X. Arriaga, J. Wilson, Committed To What? Using the Bases of Relational Commitment Model to Understand Continuity and Change in Social Relationships. Part 3. Motivational and Affective Processes in Relationships. M. Brewer, Social Identity and Close Relationships: What is the Connection? J. Simpson, C. Jeffry, A.W. Collins, S. Tran, C. Haydon, Developmental Antecedents of Negative Emotion in Romantic Relationships. J. Forgas, Happy and Close, But Sad and Effective? Mood Effects on Strategic Relationship Behaviors. S. Gable, Approach and Avoidance Motives In Close Relationships. P. Noller, S. Conway, A. Blakeley, Sibling Relationships in Adolescent and Young Adult Twin and Non-twin Siblings: Managing Competition and Comparison. Part 4. Managing Relationship Problems. J. Fitness, J. Peterson, Punishment and Forgiveness in Close Relationships: An Evolutionary, Social-Psychological Perspective. E. Finkel, The Impelling/Inhibiting Model of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: Theory and Preliminary Evidence. S. Murray, Realizing Connectedness Goals: The Risk Regulation System in Relationships. L. Zadro, K. Williams, X. Arriaga, Relational Ostracism. R. Miller, Attending to Temptation: The Operation (and Perils) of Attention to Alternatives in Close Relationships.Introduction 272 Incidence Rates, Gender, and Two Forms of Intimate Partner Violence 273 Prominent Theoretical Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence 274 The I3 Model of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration 275 Instigating Triggers 276 Violence-Impelling Forces 277 Violence-Inhibiting Forces 278 Self-Regulation and Intimate Partner Violence 278 A Review of the Emerging Evidence linking Self-Regulation to Reduced IPV Tendencies 279 Study 1: low Dispositional Self-Control 279 Study 2: Impulses versus Behaviors 280 Study 3: The Importance of Cognitive Processing Time 280 Study 4: Ego Depletion 281 Study 5: Ego Bolstering 282 Concluding Comments 283 References 284 Endnotes 287

Punishment and forgiveness in close relationships: An evolutionary, social-psychological perspective

Part 1. Introduction and Basic Principles. J.P. Forgas, J. Fitness, Introductory Remarks, History Background and Issues of Research on Personal Relationships. E. Hatfield, R. Rapson, Passionate Love and Sexual Desire: Multicultural Perspectives. M. Haselton, G. Gonzaga, The Evolution of Love. P. Shaver, M. Mikulincer, Augmenting the Sense of Security in Romantic, Leader-Follower, Therapeutic, and Group Relations: A Relational Model of Personality Change. D.P. Schmitt, Attachment Matters: The Personality and Sexuality Correlates of Romantic Attachment across Cultures, Genders, and Relationship Forms. Part 2. Cognitive Processes in Relationships. G. Fletcher, Is Love Blind? L. Acitelli, Do Relationship Reflections Help or Hurt Close Relationships? P. Clark, How Attentional Flexibility Builds High Quality Close Relationships. C. Agnew, X. Arriaga, J. Wilson, Committed To What? Using the Bases of Relational Commitment Model to Understand Continuity and Change in Social Relationships. Part 3. Motivational and Affective Processes in Relationships. M. Brewer, Social Identity and Close Relationships: What is the Connection? J. Simpson, C. Jeffry, A.W. Collins, S. Tran, C. Haydon, Developmental Antecedents of Negative Emotion in Romantic Relationships. J. Forgas, Happy and Close, But Sad and Effective? Mood Effects on Strategic Relationship Behaviors. S. Gable, Approach and Avoidance Motives In Close Relationships. P. Noller, S. Conway, A. Blakeley, Sibling Relationships in Adolescent and Young Adult Twin and Non-twin Siblings: Managing Competition and Comparison. Part 4. Managing Relationship Problems. J. Fitness, J. Peterson, Punishment and Forgiveness in Close Relationships: An Evolutionary, Social-Psychological Perspective. E. Finkel, The Impelling/Inhibiting Model of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: Theory and Preliminary Evidence. S. Murray, Realizing Connectedness Goals: The Risk Regulation System in Relationships. L. Zadro, K. Williams, X. Arriaga, Relational Ostracism. R. Miller, Attending to Temptation: The Operation (and Perils) of Attention to Alternatives in Close Relationships.Introduction 272 Incidence Rates, Gender, and Two Forms of Intimate Partner Violence 273 Prominent Theoretical Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence 274 The I3 Model of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration 275 Instigating Triggers 276 Violence-Impelling Forces 277 Violence-Inhibiting Forces 278 Self-Regulation and Intimate Partner Violence 278 A Review of the Emerging Evidence linking Self-Regulation to Reduced IPV Tendencies 279 Study 1: low Dispositional Self-Control 279 Study 2: Impulses versus Behaviors 280 Study 3: The Importance of Cognitive Processing Time 280 Study 4: Ego Depletion 281 Study 5: Ego Bolstering 282 Concluding Comments 283 References 284 Endnotes 287

Emotion and cognition in close relationships

Introduction. Section I. Introductory Issues. Chapter 1. The needs, benefits, and perils of close relationships. J. A. Simpson & S. Tran. Chapter 2. The changing social context of relationships. C. M. Bryant, J. M. Bolland, L. Burton, T. Hurt, & B. M. Bryant. Chapter 3. Studying close relationships: Methodological Challenges and Advances. J. A. Feeney. Section II - Types of Relationships. Chapter 4. Marital relations. P. Noller. Chapter 5. Parent-child relationships: Contemporary Perspectives. R. D. Parke, K. Morris, T. Schofield, M. Leidy, M. Miller, & M. Flyr. Chapter 6. Parent-adolescent relationships. W. A. Collins & B. Laursen. Chapter 7. Sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence. S. M McHale, J. Kim, & S. Whiteman. Chapter 8. Adult friendship: A Decade Review. K. Ueno & R. G. Adams. Chapter 9. Interethnic relationships. S. O. Gaines Jr., R. A. R. Gurung, Y.Lin, & N. Pouli. Section III. Relationship Processes . Chapter 10. Attachment across the lifepan. C. Hazan, M. Campa, & N. Gur-Yaish. Chapter 11. Intimacy and the self: An Iterative Model of the Self and Close Relationships. S. L. Gable & H. T. Reis. Chapter 12. Passionate love, sexual desire, & mate-selection: Cross-cultural & Historical Perspectives. E. Hatfield & R. L. Rapson. Chapter 13. Mate-selection: Adaptive Problems and Evolved Cognitive Programs. D. Lieberman. Chapter 14. Sexuality in close relationships. S. Sprecher. Chapter 15. Emotion and cognition in close relationships. J. Fitness. Chapter 16. What partners do to maintain their close relationships. K. Dindia & T. M. Emmers-Sommer. Chapter 17. From bickering to battering: Destructive Conflict Processes in Intimate Relationships. Linda J. Roberts. Chapter 18. Relationship dissolution: Antecedents, Processes and Consequences. A. L. Vangelisti

Women's experiences of dating after breast cancer

ABSTRACT This study examined womens experiences of romantically dating after breast cancer. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 female breast cancer survivors who attempted to form new relationships post-breast cancer. Interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. We identified an overarching theme of “navigating the breast cancer dating journey,” comprising seven themes including womens decision to consider dating; ability/desire to commence a new relationship; cancer-related disclosure; changes to intimacy and sexuality; body image difficulties; changing values; and trusting a new partner. Future research should empirically determine factors predicting a womans ability to form a romantic relationship after breast cancer.

Dating concerns among women with breast cancer or with genetic breast cancer susceptibility: a review and meta-synthesis

ABSTRACT Objective. While dating is critical in the formation of a lifelong romantic relationship, women with breast cancer or a genetic susceptibility to developing this disease report a myriad of dating concerns. This review synthesises and discusses the perceived dating barriers and concerns in this population. Method. A systematic search of CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and PubMed was undertaken and yielded 19 published qualitative studies. Papers were subjected to critical appraisal to ensure the integrity of findings. Results. Six areas of concern were identified: Feeling unattractive due to treatment side effects; perceiving limited dating partners available; determining how, when and what to disclose; fear of cancer recurrence and reduced life expectancy; apprehension about entering into a new sexual relationship; and dating urgency and not wanting to ‘waste time’ on partners without long-term potential. Conclusions. This paper provides a valuable synthesis of the complex issues, concerns and decisions that single women face at different stages of relationship formation following their breast cancer experience. Future research is warranted to explore the perceptions, appraisals and beliefs underlying these concerns, to help guide the future design and development of appropriate informational and supportive care offered to breast cancer patients.

Validation of the Croatian and Lebanese Revised Illness Perception Questionnaires for Healthy People (IPQ-RH)

The absence of Croatian- and Arabic-language measures to assess illness representations has contributed to lack of research among Croatian and Lebanese populations. Utilising the robust confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach, this study aimed to validate Croatian and Arabic versions of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for Healthy People (IPQ-RH) in the breast and cervical cancer contexts, and compared these illness perceptions among Croatian and Lebanese women living in Australia. Forward and back-translated versions of the IPQ-RH were administered in Croatian to Croatian-born (n = 238), and Arabic to Lebanese-born (n = 240) women. The IPQ-RH illness perceptions were assessed for each cancer type, and the Negative Affect (NA) subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) assessed discriminant validity. The CFA method demonstrated acceptable models across the Croatian and Lebanese IPQ-RH measures. The internal reliabilities for the IPQ-RH subscales were adequate and the subscales had low correlations with the NA subscale of the PANAS, indicating that the IPQ-RH measures are largely distinguishable from negative affective dispositions. These findings demonstrate that the Croatian and Lebanese IPQ-RH breast and cervical cancer measures have a factor structure similar to the originally developed IPQ-RH scale and provide further support for the theoretically developed illness representations.