DOCSLIB.ORG

Adult Attachment Style, Passionate Love, and the Frustration of Intimacy Goals. Michael L

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Adult Attachment Style, Passionate Love, and the Frustration of Intimacy Goals. Michael L University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014 2006 Adult attachment style, passionate love, and the frustration of intimacy goals. Michael L. Vernon University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses Vernon, Michael L., "Adult attachment style, passionate love, and the frustration of intimacy goals." (2006). Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014. 2436. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses/2436 This thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ADULT ATTACHMENT STYLE, PASSIONATE LOVE, AND THE FRUSTRATION INTIMACY GOALS A Thesis Presented By MICHAEL L VERNON Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fultillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS February 2006 Social Psychology © Copyright by Michael L Vernon 2006 All Rights Reserved ADULT AH ACHMl-NT SI YLI-, PASSION Al lv LQVi:, AND Till; I'lUISTRATION OF IN l lMACY GOALS A Master Thesis by MICHAHLL. VERNON Approved as of style and content by: Paula R. Pictromonaco, Chair George LeVinger, MemMir Melinda Novak, Department Head Psychology Department ABSTRACT ADULT ATTACHMENT STYLE, PASSIONATE LOVE, AND THE FRUSTRATION Ol' INTIMACY GOALS FEBRUARY 2006 MICHAEL L. VERNON, B.A., UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA RENO M.A.. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor Paula R. Pietromonaco The puipose of this study was to examine the associations of attachment style and passionate love wilh Ihc pursuit, attainment, and frustration of intimacy goals, and to examine three sources of goal interference (i.e., own behavior, partner behavior, and external circumstances). Both members of 146 dating couples independently completed an Internet survey designed to assess attachment, passion, and relationship goals. Analyses were performed usmg the Actor-Partner Independence Model (APIM) in HLM. Actors high in passionate love were more likely to be pursuing and attaining intimacy goals and were less likely to report interference by partners. Actors reported greater success in achieving goals when their partners were highly passionate. Actors high in attachment avoidance and anxiety were less likely to attain intimacy goals, were more frustrated, and were more likely to report that their own behavior, their partner's behavior, and external circumstances interfered with goal attainment. When passion was reciprocated, participants reported less frustration and interference from all three sources. These findings highlight the importance of assessing the perspectives of both couple members. iv CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT IV LIS 1 OF TABLES LIS rOL FIGURES CHAPTER 1 . INTRODUCTION Attachment Theory 2 Attachment Theory and Relationship Goals 3 Passionate Love Defined 4 Intimacy as a Goal 4 Passion as a Function of Changes in Intimacy and Its Attammcnt 5 Mismatches between Partners' Attachment Styles May Result in Frustration 6 Ivxisting lividence for the Goal Frustration Hypothesis 6 Reciprocated Passionate Love is the Exception to the Frustration Hypothesis 7 2. HYPOTHESES 8 Hypothesis 1 (III): Passionate Love and Intimacy Goal Frustration H Hypothesis 2 (112): Reciprocated Passionate Love 8 Fhc Interaction of Attachment Styles (H3, H4, & H5) 8 Hypothesis 3 (H3): Goal Frustration in Anxious-Anxious Pairs 8 Hypothesis 4 (114): Goal Frustration in Avoidant-Avoidant Pairs 9 Hypothesis 5 (115): Goal Frustration in Anxious-Avoidanl Pairs 9 Hypothesis 6 (H6): The Main Effects of Attachment Style 10 3. M E l HOD Overview Participants Procedure Measures Attachment Style Passionate Love Intimacy Goal Pursuit and Frustration Analysis Strategy The Centering of Predictors 4. RESUL TS V Sample Characteristics 17 l ests of hypotheses 17 Hypothesis 1 (HI): Passionate Love and hitimacy Goal Frustration 17 Hypothesis 2 (H2): Reciprocated Passionate Love 17 Hypothesis 3 (H3): hitimacy Goal Frustration in Anxious-Anxious Pairs 19 Hypothesis 4 (H4): Intimacy Goal Frustration in Avoidant-Avoidant Pairs 20 Hypothesis 5 (H5): Goal Frustration in Anxious-Avoidant Pairs 20 Hypothesis 6 (H6): The Main Effects of Attachment Style 20 Attachment Avoidance and Intimacy Goals 20 Attachment Avoidance and Distance Goals 21 Attachment Avoidance and Self-Regulation Goals 21 Attachment Avoidance and Support Goals 22 Attachment Anxiety and Intimacy Goals 22 Attachment Anxiety and Distance Goals 23 Attachment Anxiety and Self-Regulation Goals 23 Attachment Anxiety and Support Goals 23 5. DISCUSSION 25 6. LIMI I ATIONS 30 APPENDIX: TABLES AND GRAPHS 32 BIBLIOGRAPHY 53 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Pag^^ 1 . Correlations of Passionate Love. Attachment Style, and Goal Frustration 32 - 2. Level 1 Main Effects Intimacy Goals 32 - 3. Level 1 Main Effects and Interactions Intimacy Goals 33 4. Level 2 Interactions - Intimacy Goals 34 - 5. Level 1 Main Effects Distance Goals 34 - 6. Level 1 Main liffects and Interactions Distance Goals 35 7. Level 2 Interactions - Distance Goals 36 8. Level 1 Main Effects - Self-Regulation Goals 36 9. Level 1 Main Effects and Interactions - Self-Regulation Goals 37 10. Level 2 Interactions - Self-Regulation Goals 38 11. Level 1 Main Effects - Sex Goals 38 12. Level 1 Main Effects and Interactions - Sex Goals 39 13. Level 2 Interactions - Sex Goals 40 - 14. Level 1 Main Effects Support Goals 40 - 41 15. Level 1 Main Effects and Interactions Support Goals 16. Level 2 Interactions - Support Goals 42 vu LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Aclor by Partner . Passionate Love and Intimacy Goal Frustration 43 2. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and My Partner Interferes witb Intimacy Goals 43 3. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and My Behavior Interferes with Intimacy 44 4. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and External Circumstances Interfere with Intimacy Goals 44 5. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and Sex Goal Frustration 45 6. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and External Circumstances Interfere with Sex 45 7. Actor Avoidance by Partner Avoidance and Sex Goal 46 8. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and Distance Goals 46 9. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and the Achievement of Support Goals 47 10. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and the Frustration of Self-Regulation Goals 47 1 1 . Actor by Partner Passionate Love and My Partner Interferes with Self-Regulation Goals 48 12. Actor by Partner Passionate Love and My Behavior Interferes with Self-Regulation Goals 48 13. Actor Anxiety by Partner Anxiety and My Behavior Interferes with Support Goals 49 14. Actor Anxiety by Partner Anxiety and My Partner Interferes with Distance Goals 49 15. Actor Anxiety by Partner Anxiety and External Circumstances Interfere with Distance Goals 50 16. Male Avoidance by Female Anxiety and the Achievement of Intimacy Goals 50 51 1 7. Male Avoidance by Female Anxiety and the Pursuit of Support Goals Distance Goals 51 1 8. Male Avoidance by Female Anxiety and the Pursuit of 52 19. Male Avoidance by Female Anxiety and Distance Goal Frustration Vlll CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Passionate love (as described by Hatfield & Walster, 1978; rcnnov. 1979) may be one ol ihc most frequently occurring yet under-studied relationship phenomena identified by relafionship researchers. As a search of the literature reveals, during the past 20 years, fewer than 30 studies have been published in major psychology journals that have tested hypotheses associated with passionate love. In addition, only a small handful of these studies have focused how passion is associated with relationship functioning (e.g., relationship satisfaction) while the remainder ol" these studies have focused on theoretically distant correlates of passion (e.g., cross-cultural differences, self-esteem, and trait anxiety). Even when Hatfield and Sprecher (1986) validated the Passionate Love Scale, they neglected to show how well these scores correlate with even the most basic aspects of passionate love (i.e., emotional involvement, and the desire to achieve union with another). As Berscheid (1985) noted, the lack of interest in passionate love is possibly due to the lack of a coherent conceptual framework for understanding specific emotional states which has subsequently turned passionate love into a neglected stepchild in the study of attraction and close relationships. Nevertheless, theories regarding the dynamics of passionate love have been proposed by psychologists (Hatfield, 1988; Tennov, 1979) and non-academic scholars alike. Hatfield's ( 198S) review of these theories reveals a common theme with respect to the conditions that are believed to be necessary to maintain a state of passion, once it begins. Specifically, these theorists argue that passionate love nourishes primarily under conditions where goal attainment regarding the desired union with another is either uncertain or thwarted, but remains to be seen as obtainable. w ith the The puipose of this study is to examine the hypothesis that passionate love is associated frustration of goals aimed at achieving union with relationship partners. 1 The present study draws on attachment theory as a basis for understanding indn idual differences in interpersonal goals that, in turn, can be used to to predict the amount of mlimacy goal frustration that individuals are likely to encounter in romantic relationships. Attachment Theory
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Interpersonal Attraction
    Dr K Williams 11/19/07 Interpersonal Attraction Psych 240; Fall 2007 Purdue University Prof. Kipling Williams Initial Attraction: What matters at first? Propinquity (we like those who live/work near us; mere exposure) Physical Attractiveness (we like those who are physically attractive; halo, rewards, kernel of truth; evolutionary signs of health and reproductive advantage) Similarity/Complementarity (we like those who are similar to us—it’s rewarding; complementarity of needs) Responsiveness (we like those who are responsive to us; signals belonging, worth, and control) Reciprocal liking (we like those who like us—it’s rewarding) Interpersonal Attraction 1 Dr K Williams 11/19/07 Propinquity Festinger, Schachter & Back (1959)’s “Social pressures in informal groups: A study of human factors in housing” Zajonc’s (1968) “Attitudinal effects of mere exposure” (JPSP) “Mirror exposure” - we like our reflection view better than the view that others see of us; and vice versa. Moreland & Beach’s (1992) “Exposure effects in the classroom…” (JESP) Physical Attractiveness Walster, Aronson, Abrahams & Rottman, 1966: Computer Dating paradigm Take a battery of measures of personality SES interests physical attractiveness Randomly pair college students with person of opposite sex. Asked them to rate their date Only one factor predicted liking and intention to ask out again…physical attractiveness (for males & females!) How about after the fifth date? (Mathes, 1975) Interpersonal Attraction 2 Dr K Williams 11/19/07 Physical Attractiveness How ubiquitous? In the courtroom less likely to be found guilty; if guilty, lighter sentence (except if used to commit crime) In job applications More likely to be hired even for jobs in which appearance could have no conceivable relationship to job performance Class project (High, Med, Low Phys Attractiveness X High, Med, Low Qualifications) • Which matters most? Physical Attractiveness How ubiquitous? With children They are more popular, better liked by parents, teachers, and peers.
    [Show full text]
  • Student Social and Emotional Development and Accountability: Perspective of Teachers
    Student Social and Emotional Development and Accountability: Perspective of Teachers National Network of State Teachers of the Year Elizabeth J. Glennie, Ph.D. Jeffrey A. Rosen, Ph.D. Rebecca Snyder, Ed.D. Maryann Woods-Murphy, Ed.D. Katherine Bassett, M.Ed. April 2017 We at the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY are most pleased to share with you the latest in our series of Research Reports. In this report, we focus on measures of social and emotional learning and their efficacy in educator evaluation. Using multiple approaches – literature review and three focus group panels – we examined what the field says about these measures and well as what expert teachers – State and National Teachers of the Year and Finalists for State Teacher of the Year think. I worked for twelve years at Educational Testing Service in the area of performance based assessment across a continuum of educator practice. One of the first maxims that I learned was: ‘…not everything that is important can be measured and not everything that can be measured is important.’ A second was ‘…we must not use assessment measures for pur- poses for which they have not been developed or validated.’ I also had the privilege of working with a team of expert research scientists, including Dr. Richard Roberts, to examine the efficacy of assessing social and emotional characteristics and their mallea- bility in educators. So, this study is of particular interest to me. Can we actually measure social and emotional characteristics, and, are they malleable? In other words, can we teach things like empathy, caring, persistence? Should we include measures of these characteristics in teachers as part of consequential evaluation? As expert educators, we deeply desire accountability measures.
    [Show full text]
  • Examples of Social Emotional Development in Preschool
    Examples Of Social Emotional Development In Preschool Serge skives perplexedly while reddish Yves disconnects abnormally or tees ambitiously. Wainwright forfeit his zibet perorated thoughtlessly or closest after Nichole depredate and authorises slightly, secund and hack. Is Alec sham or turbellarian when dapped some pitch-and-toss rupture audaciously? Different emotions and other adults to fit the groundwork for school day of the development in neuroscientific research links Examples of ways to support goals for am are where by. What are developing child social emotional skills of. By emotional development of social situation and develop socially and to integrate their skills developed in the examples of obtaining parent characteristics of other. Early childhood development of emotional skills social awareness. Early childhood social and emotional development Advancing the mistake of. Kids who are born prematurely have deep childhood trauma are most the autism. Foundation for healthy social and emotional development This process. They are willing to flex a reasonable risk, express and defend ideas, try new experiences, or engage in challenging tasks. Devereux foundation of emotion in your child develop an example. He got twisted and of? Early Childhood Inclusion; Focus on Change. Social and Emotional Development of Preschoolers. Early Childhood Services Ltd. Your preschooler has shown an example, while others when they continue to. You are using a browser that include not with Flash player enabled or installed. Set of social and in this example that out closeness with preschool curriculum. Causal talk about social emotional reactivity and develop socially appropriate ways worked closely tied to recognize individual experiences can also the examples of the next week were developed.
    [Show full text]
  • Zest and Work
    Journal of Organizational Behavior J. Organiz. Behav. 30, 161–172 (2009) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/job.584 Zest and work CHRISTOPHER PETERSON1*, NANSOOK PARK2, NICHOLAS HALL3 AND MARTIN E.P.SELIGMAN 3 1University of Michigan, Michigan, U.S.A. 2University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island, U.S.A. 3University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Summary Zest is a positive trait reflecting a person’s approach to life with anticipation, energy, and excitement. In the present study, 9803 currently employed adult respondents to an Internet site completed measures of dispositional zest, orientation to work as a calling, and satisfaction with work and life in general. Across all occupations, zest predicted the stance that work was a calling (r ¼.39), as well as work satisfaction (r ¼.46) and general life satisfaction (r ¼.53). Zest deserves further attention from organizational scholars, especially how it can be encouraged in the workplace. Copyright # 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Your work is to discover your work, and then with all of your heart to give yourself to it.—the Buddha Introduction Recent years have seen a widespread call for the study of work organizations in which people can be well and do well (Cameron, Dutton, & Quinn, 2003; Gardner, Csikszentmihalyi, & Damon, 2001; Luthans, 2003; Wright, 2003). The emergence of the positive perspective within organizational psychology has brought new attention to the venerable topic of work satisfaction (Hoppock, 1935). Satisfaction with the work that one does is seen not just as a contributor to good performance and increased profitability but as a worthy end in its own right (Heslin, 2005).
    [Show full text]
  • Positive Psychology
    7 WAYS TO APPLY POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY Learn practical, proven strategies to live a happier, more engaged and more meaningful life. We all want to live happier, more engaging and more meaningful lives. The science of positive psychology contributes new Introduction insights and proven strategies to increase wellbeing in individuals, workplaces and communities. After years classifying and repairing the worst of human experience, positive psychology emerged to help us flourish and learn from the best. This rich and varied field now spans many areas, building on philosophies and practices from Aristotle to Maslow. This eBook introduces you to some of the most practical and research-backed ways to apply positive psychology to increase happiness, wellbeing and effectiveness—in your life, at work, at home and with the people you care for, help and lead. You will learn: • How to maximise the power of positivity to create sustainable pathways to happiness and success. • Seven positive psychology practices - “[Positive Psychology is] the from optimism to mindfullness. scientific study of positive • Tips to apply these practices at work, at human functioning and home and when helping people. flourishing on multiple levels.” We look forward to inspiring you and others to live a Martin Seligman &Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi happier, more engaged and fulfilling life! The Langley Group team © 2015 Langley Group. All rights reserved 2 Positive psychology 7 POSITIVE PRACTICES Positive emotion 1 Generating positive emotions helps broaden and build our resources and moves us toward greater wellbeing. Spearheaded by Martin Seligman and Mindset Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1998, positive 2 psychology focuses on exploring and Adopting a positive attitude and Growth Mindset enhances learning and opens our expanding what makes life worthwhile, mind to new ways to raise happiness levels.
    [Show full text]
  • Roots & Rituals
    ROOTS & RITUALS The construction of ethnic identities Ton Dekker John Helsloot Carla Wijers editors Het Spinhuis Amsterdam 2000 Selected papers of the 6TH SIEF conference on 'Roots & rituals', Amsterdam 20-25 April 1998 This publication was made possible by the Ministery of the Flemish Community, Division of the non-formal adult education and public libraries, in Bruxelles ISBN 90 5589 185 1 © 2000, Amsterdam, the editors No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any informa- tion storage and retrieval system, without permission of the copyright owners. Cover design: Jos Hendrix Lay-out: Ineke Meijer Printed and bound in the Netherlands Het Spinhuis Publishers, Oudezijds Achterburgwal 185, 1012 DK Amsterdam Table of Contents Introduction ix Ton Dekker, John Helsloot & Carla Wijers SECTION I Ethnicity and ethnology Wem nützt 'Ethnizität'? 3 Elisabeth & Olaf Bockhorn Ethnologie polonaise et les disciplines voisines par rapport à l'identification nationale des Polonais 11 Wojciech Olszewski Üne ethnie ingérable: les Corses 25 Max Caisson SECTION II Ethnie groups, minorities, regional identities Ethnic revitalization and politics of identity among Finnish and Kven minorities in northern Norway 37 Marjut Anttonen Division culturelle du travail et construction identitaire dans le Pinde septentrional 53 Evangelos Karamanes Managing locality among the Cieszyn Silesians in Poland 67 Marian Kempny Musulmanisches Leben im andalusischen Granada
    [Show full text]
  • Reframing Emotion As Passion
    Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 137 (2016) 1–12 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/obhdp Managing perceptions of distress at work: Reframing emotion as passion ⇑ Elizabeth Baily Wolf a, , Jooa Julia Lee b, Sunita Sah c, Alison Wood Brooks d a Harvard Business School, Cotting 300E, Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA 02163, United States b The University of Michigan, The Stephen M. Ross School of Business, 701 Tappan Ave, R4661, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States c Cornell University, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Sage Hall 326, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States d Harvard Business School, Baker Library 463, Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA 02163, United States article info abstract Article history: Expressing distress at work can have negative consequences for employees: observers perceive employ- Received 3 January 2015 ees who express distress as less competent than employees who do not. Across five experiments, we Revised 1 July 2016 explore how reframing a socially inappropriate emotional expression (distress) by publicly attributing Accepted 13 July 2016 it to an appropriate source (passion) can shape perceptions of, and decisions about, the person who expressed emotion. In Studies 1a-c, participants viewed individuals who reframed distress as passion as more competent than those who attributed distress to emotionality or made no attribution. In Keywords: Studies 2a-b, reframing emotion as passion shifted interpersonal decision-making: participants were Distress more likely to hire job candidates and choose collaborators who reframed their distress as passion com- Passion Reframing pared to those who did not.
    [Show full text]
  • Making Lasting Memories: Remembering the Significant
    Making lasting memories: Remembering the significant James L. McGaugh1 Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3800 Edited by Francisco J. Ayala, University of California, Irvine, CA, and approved May 9, 2013 (received for review February 15, 2013) Although forgetting is the common fate of most of our experi- time of the 1989 San Francisco earthquake had better memories ences, much evidence indicates that emotional arousal enhances of the earthquake months later compared with individuals in the storage of memories, thus serving to create, selectively, lasting Atlanta, Georgia (16). Three years after the terrorist attack on memories of our more important experiences. The neurobiological September 11, 2001, individuals who were in downtown Man- systems mediating emotional arousal and memory are very closely hattan at the time of the attack had more detailed memories of linked. The adrenal stress hormones epinephrine and corticoste- the attack compared with individuals who were in midtown rone released by emotional arousal regulate the consolidation of Manhattan, several miles from the attack (18). long-term memory. The amygdala plays a critical role in mediating these stress hormone influences. The release of norepinephrine in Modulation of Memory Consolidation the amygdala and the activation of noradrenergic receptors are These findings clearly support Bacon’s (19) assertion that essential for stress hormone-induced memory enhancement. The “[m]emory is assisted by anything that makes an impression on findings of both animal and human studies provide compelling a powerful passion, inspiring fear, for example or wonder, shame evidence that stress-induced activation of the amygdala and its or joy” (19).
    [Show full text]
  • Two Approaches to Self-Love: Hutcheson and Butler
    EUJAP VOL. 2 No. 2 2006 ORIGinal SCienTifiC papeR UDK: 15�.�23:17 1�.026.1 TWO APPROACHES TO SELF-LOVE: HUTCHESON AND BUTLER CHRISTIAN MAURER University of Neuchâtel ABSTRACT Introduction This paper contrasts Frankfurt’s characterisation In his latest book, The Reasons of Love, of self-love as disinterested with the predomi- Harry Frankfurt defends the idea that nant 18th-century view on self-love as interest- ed. Two senses of the term ‘interest’ are distin- self-love is disinterested. Any variety of guished to discuss two fundamentally different love “consists most basically in a disin- readings of the claim that self-love promotes terested concern for the well-being or the agent’s interest. This allows characterising flourishing of the person who is loved.”1 two approaches to self-love, which are found in Hutcheson’s and in Butler’s writings. Hutcheson As the object of self-love is one’s self, the sees self-love as a source of hedonistic motives, conclusion lies at hand: which can be calm or passionate. Butler sees it as a general affection of rational beings in the sense of a kind of love of one’s real nature. Perhaps it would flirt too egre- giously with the absurd to sug- Keywords: self-love, interest, egoism, passions, gest that self-love may be selfless. affections, Francis Hutcheson, Joseph Butler, It is entirely apposite, however, Harry Frankfurt to characterize it as disinterested. Indeed, self-love is nearly always entirely disinterested, in the clear and literal sense of being motivat- ed by no interests other than those of the beloved” (Frankfurt 2004, p.
    [Show full text]
  • A Revisionist History of Political Emotion
    The Weight of Passion: A Revisionist History of Political Emotion Michael A. Neblo Ohio State University Abstract: In addition to their purely scientific significance, recent advances in our understanding of emotion and its role in political behavior open up real opportunities for gaining leverage on crucial issues relating to political theory. However, much of this work argues that it represents as a fairly radical break with the Western tradition’s prevailing conceptualization of reason, emotion, and their relationship. With this move, such research cuts itself off from enormously promising mutual exchange: such results can deepen and refine the arguments and intuitions we inherit from the history of philosophy; and the Western tradition offers myriad ways in which empirical theories of emotion could be expanded and reconceptualized. Key words: emotion, reason, politics, philosophy, Western tradition. “[E]motions…considered in themselves, follow from the same necessity and ability of nature as other individual things: and therefore they acknowledge certain causes through which they are understood, and have certain properties equally worthy of our knowledge as the properties of any other thing.” — Spinoza Ethics Part 3, Preface “[E]motion signifies, in its own way, the whole of consciousness or, if we put ourselves on the existential level, of human reality…[Emotion] has its essence, its particular structures, its laws of appearing, and its signification. It cannot come to human reality from the outside.” — Sartre The Emotions: Outline of a Theory “[T]he sense of justice is continuous with the love of mankind.” — John Rawls A Theory of Justice I. Introduction As this special issue will attest, there has been a recent upsurge in research about the emotions and politics, ranging from cognitive science to philosophy to the social sciences.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Psychology of Passion: in Search of What Makes People’S Lives Most Worth Living
    Canadian Psychology Copyright 2008 by the Canadian Psychological Association 2008, Vol. 49, No. 1, 1–13 0708-5591/08/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0708-5591.49.1.1 Presidential Address – 2007 – Allocution pre´sidentielle – 2007 On the Psychology of Passion: In Search of What Makes People’s Lives Most Worth Living ROBERT J. VALLERAND ted people toward the cause of Canadian psychology. On numer- Laboratoire de Recherche sur le ous occasions, I have seen CPA board members serving on a Comportement Social, Universite´du variety of committees and for long hours. In light of such impor- Que´bec a` Montre´al tant involvement in an activity like Canadian psychology, one is left wondering about the psychological factors that enable people to display such a high level of commitment and to remain dedi- Abstract cated and passionate for a specific activity or cause for years, and sometimes a lifetime. We propose that the concept of passion The purpose of the present paper is to present a new conceptualisation on passion (Vallerand et al., 2003) represents such a psychological factor. for activities, the Dualistic Model of Passion (Vallerand et al., Furthermore, as we will see, the type of passion one has for the 2003) and an overview of related research. Passion is defined as a activity may have different consequences on cognition, affect, strong inclination toward an activity that people like, find impor- behaviour, relationships, and even performance. tant, and in which they invest time and energy. This model further posits the existence of two types of passion each associated with On the Psychology of Passion different outcomes and experiences.
    [Show full text]
  • Psychopathy and the Incapacity to Love: Role of Physiological Arousal
    Psychopathy and the Incapacity to Love: Role of Physiological Arousal Akiho Tanaka Dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In Psychology Angela Scarpa David W. Harrison Jungmeen Kim Bradley A. White May 10, 2011 Blacksburg, VA Keywords: psychopathy, romantic love, physiological arousal Copyright 2011, Akiho Tanaka Psychopathy and the Incapacity to Love: Role of Physiological Arousal Akiho Tanaka ABSTRACT Psychopathy is a rare and unique disorder, primarily associated with an emotional deficiency and an inclination towards violent antisocial behavior. Among the various symptoms, the affective experience of the incapacity for love has received little empirical attention, despite having been established as one of Cleckley‟s 16 classic characteristics. Moreover, the role of physiological responding in their romantic experiences has yet to be examined. The proposed study examined physiological reactivity (i.e., heart rate, HR; skin conductance, SC) as a mediator and moderator in the relationship between psychopathic features and romantic experiences (i.e., passionate love, companionate love, Ludus love, relationship satisfaction, relationship history) in college men. As hypothesized, physiological reactivity mediated and moderated the relationship between psychopathic features and romantic experiences. Specifically, low physiological arousal for the partner partially mediated the relationship between psychopathic features and passionate love. Also, it was found that the interaction between low physiological arousal for the significant other and high physiological arousal for the opposite-sex friend moderates the relationship between psychopathic features and deficient romantic experiences. By gaining a better understanding of the impact on their romantic experiences, this study is intended to contribute to improved identification and assessment of psychopathic men.
    [Show full text]