Negative relationship experiences differentially impact error salience: the cases of unsupportive behaviors and relationship threat
| Author(s) | Palmwood, Erin N. | |
| Date Accessioned | 2023-08-21T23:08:50Z | |
| Date Available | 2023-08-21T23:08:50Z | |
| Publication Date | 2019 | |
| SWORD Update | 2020-02-03T13:31:14Z | |
| Abstract | Romantic relationships involve a range of positive and negative experiences, from supportive and security-enhancing behaviors to unsupportive behaviors and relationship threat. The present study aimed to examine the functional implications of these experiences on reactivity to mistakes, as error salience has key implications for cognitive and behavioral experiences such as goal-striving and adaptive risk-taking. To this end, two experiments were conducted. The first examined the relationship between supportive and unsupportive partner behaviors and error salience by having participants complete the Eriksen Flanker Task (EFT) while their partners observed their performance and counted their errors. Electrophysiological brain activity was recorded for participants in order to examine two event-related potentials (ERPs) related to error salience: the error-related negativity (ERN) and the error positivity (Pe). The second experiment examined the association between perceived relationship threat, indexed via the experience of jealousy, and error salience by having participants complete the EFT while their partners rated the attractiveness of single members of their preferred gender. Error-related brain activity was measured during this experiment as well. Findings indicated that unsupportive partner behaviors and perceived relationship threat were associated with changes in error salience, furthering the notion that negative, rather than positive, relationship experiences have a more direct impact on reactivity to mistakes. However, these experiences impacted error salience in different ways, such that unsupportive behaviors directed attention toward mistakes and jealousy directed attention away from them, likely toward the source of relationship threat. Findings highlight the tendency to allocate attention toward sources of immediate threat and offer implications for the research and treatment of negative experiences in romantic relationships. | |
| Advisor | Simons, Robert F. | |
| Degree | Ph.D. | |
| Department | University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.58088/nv4x-b408 | |
| Unique Identifier | 1440046182 | |
| URL | https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/33187 | |
| Language | en | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | |
| URI | https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/negative-relationship-experiences-differentially/docview/2318150226/se-2?accountid=10457 | |
| Keywords | Romantic relationships | |
| Keywords | Unsupportive behaviors | |
| Keywords | Relationship threat | |
| Title | Negative relationship experiences differentially impact error salience: the cases of unsupportive behaviors and relationship threat | |
| Type | Thesis |