Manja Vollmann

PERSOC: A Unified Framework for Understanding the Dynamic Interplay of Personality and Social Relationships

The interplay of personality and social relationships is as fascinating as it is complex and it pertains to a wide array of largely separate research domains. Here, we present an integrative and unified framework for analysing the complex dynamics of personality and social relationships (PERSOC). Basic principles and general processes on the individual and dyadic level are outlined to show how personality and social relationships influence each other and develop over time. PERSOC stresses the importance of social behaviours and interpersonal perceptions as mediating processes organized in social interaction units. The framework can be applied to diverse social relationships such as first encounters, short–term acquaintances, friendships, relationships between working group members, educational or therapeutic settings, romantic relationships and family relationships. It has important consequences for how we conceptualize, understand, and investigate personality and social relationships. Copyright

Social Support as Mediator of the Stress Buffering Effect of Optimism: The Importance of Differentiating the Recipients' and Providers' Perspective

Using a dyadic design, this longitudinal study with 85 couples examined whether the stress buffering effect of optimism is due to an actual higher availability of social support or to positive illusions about available social support by taking simultaneously the recipients’ and the providers’ perspective on social support into account. At baseline, optimism and social support from the recipients’ and the providers’ perspective were assessed. Perceived stress was measured at 3 months follow–up. Actor–Partner Interdependence Models showed that optimism was prospectively related to lower stress. Social support from the recipients’, but not from the providers’ perspective, partially mediated this relationship. The results suggest that optimists hold positive illusions about available support and that these illusions account at least partly for the stress buffering effect. Copyright

Optimism and social support: The providers’ perspective

It has been presumed that the beneficial health effects of optimism are mediated by social support provided by the social environment. To further analyze this assumption, in two experiments (N = 240 and N = 120) social responses toward optimists, pessimists, and realists were examined. Participants listened to tape-recorded conversations in which optimistic, pessimistic and realistic targets reported how they were dealing with a stressful situation before completing a questionnaire assessing (a) their evaluation of the targets behavior and personality, (b) their attraction to the target, and (c) their willingness to provide the target with social support. Optimistic and realistic targets were viewed more favorably than pessimistic targets, while the behavior of realists was regarded as being more adequate than that of optimists. However, the more positive evaluation of optimists and realists compared to pessimists was not accompanied by a greater willingness to provide them with social support.

Illness representations as mediators of the relationship between dispositional optimism and depression in patients with chronic tinnitus: A cross-sectional study

Objective: Both dispositional optimism and illness representations are related to psychological health in chronic patients. In a group of chronic tinnitus sufferers, the interplay between these two variables was examined. Specifically, it was tested to what extent the relationship between dispositional optimism and depression is mediated by more positive illness representations. Method: The study had a cross-sectional design. One hundred and eighteen patients diagnosed with chronic tinnitus completed questionnaires assessing optimism (Life Orientation Test-Revised [LOT-R]), illness representations (Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised [IPQ-R]) and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]). Results: Correlation analysis showed that optimism was associated with more positive illness representations and lower levels of depression. Simple mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between optimism and depression was partially mediated by the illness representation dimensions consequences, treatment control, coherence, emotional representations and internal causes. A multiple mediation analysis indicated that the total mediation effect of illness representations is particularly due to the dimension consequences. Conclusion: Optimism influences depression in tinnitus patients both directly and indirectly. The indirect effect indicates that optimism is associated with more positive tinnitus-specific illness representations which, in turn, are related to less depression. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between generalised expectancies, illness-specific perceptions and psychological adjustment to medical conditions.

Risk perception, risk communication and health behavior change

Abstract. At a broad level, the Konstanz Health Psychology research group aims at understanding the judgment and decision making processes underlying health-relevant behaviors. Towards this goal, several more specific research agendas are addressed. A primary aim is to understand the transition from knowing about risks to personally feeling at risk. In particular, we study the reception of relevant personalised health feedback such as feedback on cholesterol levels or blood pressure. Contrary to the dominant models of biased reasoning, our results on feedback reception suggest that people respond adaptively to health risk feedback. Furthermore, we study changes in the perception of health risk across time and their associated effects on the onset, maintenance, and cessation of health-relevant behaviors. In current research, we try to utilize methods from affective neuroscience for assessing affective and intuitive processes relevant to personal feelings of risk. These efforts are motivated by the broader ...

When the ringing in the ears gets unbearable: Illness representations, self-instructions and adjustment to tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE Chronic tinnitus can severely impair a persons quality of life. The degree of impairment, however, is not closely related to tinnitus loudness. Applying the common sense model (CSM) of self-regulation of health and illness, this study investigated to what extent psychological factors, i.e. illness representations and positive/negative self-instructions, are associated with the degree of tinnitus-related complaints. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 118 patients diagnosed with chronic tinnitus filled in questionnaires assessing illness representations (IPQ-R), positive and negative self-instructions (TRSS), and tinnitus-related complaints (TQ). RESULTS The regression analysis yielded a number of significant associations between illness representations and tinnitus-related complaints, particularly for the IPQ-R dimensions identity, consequences, coherence, and emotional representations. With regard to self-instructions and tinnitus-related complaints, significant effects were found only for negative self-instructions. Moreover, multiple mediation analyses revealed that the effects of consequences and emotional representations on tinnitus-related complaints were (partially) due to the use of negative self-instructions. CONCLUSION Psychological factors are strongly related to the extent of tinnitus-related complaints. The findings provide an indication of which aspects should be targeted in psychological and psychotherapeutic tinnitus treatment.

Short communicationWhen the ringing in the ears gets unbearable: Illness representations, self-instructions and adjustment to tinnitus

OBJECTIVE Chronic tinnitus can severely impair a persons quality of life. The degree of impairment, however, is not closely related to tinnitus loudness. Applying the common sense model (CSM) of self-regulation of health and illness, this study investigated to what extent psychological factors, i.e. illness representations and positive/negative self-instructions, are associated with the degree of tinnitus-related complaints. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 118 patients diagnosed with chronic tinnitus filled in questionnaires assessing illness representations (IPQ-R), positive and negative self-instructions (TRSS), and tinnitus-related complaints (TQ). RESULTS The regression analysis yielded a number of significant associations between illness representations and tinnitus-related complaints, particularly for the IPQ-R dimensions identity, consequences, coherence, and emotional representations. With regard to self-instructions and tinnitus-related complaints, significant effects were found only for negative self-instructions. Moreover, multiple mediation analyses revealed that the effects of consequences and emotional representations on tinnitus-related complaints were (partially) due to the use of negative self-instructions. CONCLUSION Psychological factors are strongly related to the extent of tinnitus-related complaints. The findings provide an indication of which aspects should be targeted in psychological and psychotherapeutic tinnitus treatment.

Selbstwertgefühl und ärgerbezogenes Verhalten

Zusammenfassung: In der vorliegenden Studie mit N = 136 studentischen Probanden wurde der Zusammenhang zwischen zwei Aspekten des Selbstkonzeptes, dem globalen Selbstwertgefuhl und der Standfestigkeit gegenuber signifikanten anderen, und der Reaktion auf eine experimentell induzierte argerauslosende Provokation untersucht. Das Selbstkonzept sowie das habituelle argerbezogene Verhalten wurden eine Woche vor der experimentellen Provokation erfasst. Arger wurde induziert, indem die Probanden in ungerechtfertigter Weise fur einen von ihnen nicht verschuldeten Computerabsturz verantwortlich gemacht wurden. Im Anschluss an die Argerinduktion wurden uber Fragebogen die emotionalen Reaktionen, das argerbezogene Verhalten, die Verhaltensziele und die Bewertung des Verhaltens erfasst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass auf der habituellen Ebene hohe Auspragungen des Selbstwertgefuhls und der Standfestigkeit mit einer niedrigeren Neigung zu Anger-in verbunden waren. Das Selbstwertgefuhl hatte auf das selbsteingeschatzte Ve...

Unterschiedliche Wertschätzung, aber gleiche Unterstützungsbereitschaft

Zusammenfassung. Soziale Netzwerke und insbesondere soziale Unterstutzung werden als ein zentraler vermittelnder Mechanismus zwischen Optimismus und Gesundheit diskutiert. In dieser Studie wird die Annahme gepruft, dass Optimisten, Pessimisten und Realisten unterschiedliche soziale Reaktionen hervorrufen. Den Probanden (N = 168) wurden Vignetten prasentiert, in denen eine Zielperson (Target) optimistisches, pessimistisches bzw. realistisches Bewaltigungsverhalten in einer Stresssituation zeigt. Anschliesend wurden per Fragebogen (a) die Bewertung des Verhaltens und der Personlichkeit des Targets, (b) die Sympathie gegenuber dem Target sowie (c) die Bereitschaft zu sozialer Unterstutzung erfasst. Hinsichtlich des Verhaltens, der Personlichkeit sowie der Sympathie wurden die optimistischen und realistischen Targets positiver bewertet als die pessimistischen Targets. Allerdings gingen diese positiveren Bewertungen der Optimisten und Realisten im Vergleich zu den Pessimisten nicht mit einer hoheren Unterstutz...

Negative Body Attitudes and Sexual Dissatisfaction in Men: The Mediating Role of Body Self-Consciousness During Physical Intimacy

Previous research indicated that negative attitudes about the body and appearance are common among men and demonstrated that negative body attitudes are associated with negative sexual experiences. The present study investigated the association between body attitudes and sexual dissatisfaction and the mediating role of body self-consciousness during physical intimacy. In a cross-sectional design, 201 Dutch men completed an online survey regarding body attitudes toward muscularity, body fat, height, and genitals, body self-consciousness during physical intimacy, and sexual dissatisfaction. Hypotheses were tested using correlation analyses and a mediation analysis with body attitudes as predictors, body self-consciousness as mediator, and sexual dissatisfaction as outcome. Correlation analyses showed that negative body attitudes and body self-consciousness during physical intimacy were significantly related to sexual dissatisfaction. The mediation analysis revealed that negative attitudes toward muscularity, body fat, and genitals had indirect effects on sexual dissatisfaction through body self-consciousness during physical intimacy. Negative attitudes toward genitals additionally had a direct effect on sexual dissatisfaction. These findings indicate that body image interventions focused on male body attitudes may be beneficial in improving men’s body image, which may ultimately increase sexual satisfaction.