1,036
Views
1
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

Holding on & letting go: romantic attachment and fading affect bias

, &
Pages 1-18 | Received 02 Feb 2021, Accepted 01 Dec 2021, Published online: 22 Dec 2021

References

  • Alea, N., & Vick, S. C. (2010). The first sight of love: Relationship-defining memories and marital satisfaction across adulthood. Memory, 18(7), 730–742. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2010.506443
  • Bahrick, H. P., Hall, L. K., & Berger, S. A. (1996). Accuracy and distortion in memory for high school grades. Psychological Science, 7(5), 265–271. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1996.tb00372.x
  • Bahrick, H. P., Hall, L. K., & Da Costa, L. A. (2008). Fifty years of memory of college grades: Accuracy and distortions. Emotion, 8(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.8.1.13
  • Baltazar, N. C., Shutts, K., & Kinzler, K. D. (2012). Children show heightened memory for threatening social actions. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 112(1), 102–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2011.11.003
  • Barber, L., Maltby, J., & Macaskill, A. (2005). Angry memories and thoughts of revenge: The relationship between forgiveness and anger rumination. Personality and Individual Differences, 39(2), 253–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.01.006
  • Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.4.323
  • Bazzini, D. G., Stack, E. R., Martincin, P. D., & Davis, C. P. (2007). The effect of reminiscing about laughter on relationship satisfaction. Motivation and Emotion, 31(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-006-9045-6
  • Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Volume I: Attachment. The Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psychoanalysis.
  • Bowlby, J. (1973). Attachment and loss: Volume II: Separation: Anxiety and anger. Basic Books.
  • Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Volume III: Loss: Sadness and depression. Basic Books.
  • Brennan, K. A., Clark, C. L., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Self-report measurement of adult attachment: An integrative overview. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 46–76). Guilford Press.
  • Burgess Moser, M., Johnson, S. M., Dalgleish, T. L., Lafontaine, M. F., Wiebe, S. A., & Tasca, G. A. (2015). Changes in relationship-specific attachment in emotionally focused couple therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 42(2), 231–245. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12139
  • Butler, E. A., & Randall, A. K. (2013). Emotional coregulation in close relationships. Emotion Review, 5(2), 202–210. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073912451630
  • Campbell, L., Simpson, J. A., Boldry, J., & Kashy, D. A. (2005). Perceptions of conflict and support in romantic relationships: The role of attachment anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(3), 510–531. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.88.3.510
  • Carstensen, L. L., & DeLiema, M. (2018). The positivity effect: A negativity bias in youth fades with age. Current Opinion in Behavioural Sciences, 19 February , 7–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.07.009
  • Collins, N. L., & Feeney, B. C. (2004). Working models of attachment shape perceptions of social support: Evidence from experimental and observational studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87(3), 363–383. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.87.3.363
  • Colombo, D., Suso-Ribera, C., Fernandez-Alvarez, J., Cipresso, P., Garcia-Palacios, A., Riva, G., & Botella, C. (2020). Affect recall bias: Being resilient by distorting reality. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 44(5), 906–918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-020-10122-3
  • Conway, M. A. (2005). Memory and the self. Journal of memory and language, 53(4), 594–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2005.08.005
  • Coop Gordon, K., & Christman, J. A. (2008). Integrating social information processing and attachment style research with cognitive-behavioral couple therapy. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 38(3), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-008-9084-2
  • Cortes, K., Leith, S., & Wilson, A. E. (2018). Relationship satisfaction and the subjective distance of past relational events. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(8), 1092–1117. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517704721
  • D’Argembau, A., & Van der Linden, M. (2008). Remembering pride and shame: Self-enhancement and the phenomenology of autobiographical memory. Memory, 16 (5) , 534–547 . doi:10.1080/09658210802010463.
  • Davis, D., Shaver, P. R., & Vernon, M. L. (2003). Physical, emotional, and behavior reactions to breaking up: The roles of gender, age, emotional involvement, and attachment style. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(7), 871–884. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167203029007006
  • Dewitte, M., Koster, E. H. W., De Houwer, J., & Buysse, A. (2007). Attentive processing of threat and adult attachment: A dot-probe study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45(6), 1307–1317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2006.11.004
  • Diamond, L. M., Hicks, A. M., & Otter-Henderson, K. (2006). Physiological evidence for repressive coping among avoidantly attached adults. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23(2), 205–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407506062470
  • Feeney, J. A., & Noller, P. (1991). Attachment style and verbal descriptions of romantic partners. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 8(2), 187–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407591082003
  • Finkel, E. J., Rusbult, C. E., Kumashiro, M., & Hannon, P. A. (2002). Dealing with betrayal in close relationships: Does commitment promote forgiveness? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 956–974. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.82.6.956
  • Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., & Thomas, G. (2000). Ideals, perceptions, and evaluations in early relationship development. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(6), 933–940. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.79.6.933
  • Fraley, R. C., Garner, J. P., & Shaver, P. R. (2000). Adult attachment and the defensive regulation of attention and memory: Examining the role of preemptive and postemptive defensive processes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 816–826. https://doi.org/10.1037//O022-3514.79.5.816
  • Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(2), 350–365. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.78.2.350
  • Friesen, M. D., Fletcher, G. J. O., & Overall, N. C. (2005). A dyadic assessment of forgiveness in intimate relationships. Personal Relationships, 12 (1) , 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1350-4126.2005.00102.x
  • Gable, S. L., & Reis, H. T. (2010). Good news! Capitalising on positive events in an interpersonal context. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 42, 195–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(10)42004-3
  • Gaelick, L., Bodenhausen, G. V., & Wyer, R. S. (1985). Emotional communication in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49(5), 1246–1265. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.49.5.1246
  • Gentzler, A., Kerns, K., & Keener, E. (2010). Emotional reactions and regulatory responses to negative and positive events: Associations with attachment and gender. Motivation and Emotion, 34(1), 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-009-9149-x
  • Gentzler, A., & Kerns, K. (2006). Adult attachment and memory of emotional reactions to negative and positive events. Cognition & Emotion, 20(1), 20–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930500200407
  • Gibbons, J. A., Lee, S. A., & Walker, W. R. (2011). The fading affect bias begins within 12 hours and persists for 3 months. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25(4), 663–672. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1738
  • Gibbons, J. A., & Rollins, L. (2016). Assessing the initial pleasantness for fading affect, fixed affect, flourishing affect, and flexible affect events. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 30(6), 1100–1105. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3295
  • Gosnell, C. L., & Gable, S. L. (2013). Attachment and capitalizing on positive events. Attachment & Human Development, 15(3), 281–302. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2013.782655
  • Hamlin, J. K., Wynn, K., & Bloom, P. (2010). 3-month-olds show a negativity bias in their social evaluations. Developmental Science, 13(6), 923–929. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00951.x
  • Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualised as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511
  • Hendrick, S. (1988). A generic measure of relationship satisfaction. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50(1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.2307/352430
  • Holmes, D. S. (1970). Differential change in affective intensity and the forgetting of unpleasant personal experiences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 15 (3) , 234–239. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0029394
  • Kinzler, K. D., & Shutts, K. (2008). Memory for mean over nice: The influence of threat on children’s face memory. Cognition, 107(2), 775–783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2007.09.005
  • Kumashiro, M., & Arriaga, X. B. (2020). Attachment security enhancement model: Bolstering attachment security through close relationships. In B. Mattingly, K. McIntyre, and J. G. Lewandowski (Eds.), Interpersonal relationships and the self-concept. Springer pp. 69-88 . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43747-3_5
  • Landau, J. D., & Gunter, B. C. (2009). “Don’t worry; you really will get over it”: Methodological investigations of the fading affect bias. American Journal of Psychology, 122(2), 209–217. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27784392
  • Langston, C. A. (1994). Capitalising on and coping with daily-life events: Expressive responses to positive events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1112–1125. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1112
  • Makinen, J. A., & Johnson, S. M. (2006). Resolving attachment injuries in couples using emotionally focused therapy: Steps toward forgiveness and reconciliation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74 (6) , 1055–1064. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.6.1055
  • McCullough, M. E., Bellah, C. G., Kilpatrick, S. D., & Johnson, J. L. (2001). Vengefulness: Relationships with forgiveness, rumination, well-being, and the big five. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(5), 601–610. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201275008
  • McNulty, J. K., & Russell, V. M. (2010). When “negative” behaviors are positive: A contextual analysis of the long-term effects of problem-solving behaviors on changes in relationship satisfaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98 (4) , 587–604. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017479
  • Meade, M. L., Harris, C. B., Van Bergen, P., Sutton, J., & Barnier, A. J. (Eds.). (2018). Collaborative remembering: Theories, research, and applications. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198737865.001.0001
  • Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1998). The relationship between adult attachment styles and emotional and cognitive reactions to stressful events. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 143–165). Guilford Press.
  • Mikulincer, M., & Orbach, I. (1995). Attachment styles and repressive defensiveness: The accessibility and architecture of affective memories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(5), 917–925. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.68.5.917.
  • Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change. The Guilford Press.
  • Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P., & Pereg, D. (2003). Attachment theory and affect regulation: The dynamics, development, and cognitive consequences of attachment-related strategies. Motivation and Emotion, 27(2), 77–102. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024515519160
  • Mikulincer, M. (1998). Attachment working models and the sense of trust: An exploration of interaction goals and affect regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74 5 , 1209–1224. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1209
  • Murray, S. L., Griffin, D. W., Derrick, J. L., Harris, B., Aloni, M., & Leder, S. (2011). Tempting fate or inviting happiness? Unrealistic idealization prevents the decline of marital satisfaction. Psychological Science, 22 (5) , 619–626. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611403155
  • Murray, S. L., & Holmes, J. G. (1997). A leap of faith? Positive illusions in romantic relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23(6), 586–604. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167297236003
  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (1998–2012). MPlus user’s guide. Seventh edition. Muthén & Muthén.
  • Overall, N. C., & McNulty, J. K. (2017). What type of communication during conflict is beneficial for intimate relationships? Current Opinion in Psychology, 13 February , 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.03.002
  • Preacher, K. J., Rucker, D. D., & Hayes, A. F. (2007). Addressing moderated mediation hypotheses: Theory, methods, and prescriptions. Multivariate Behavioural Research, 42(1), 185–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/00273170701341316
  • Riek, B. M., & Mania, E. W. (2012). The antecedents and consequences of interpersonal forgiveness: A meta‐analytic review. Personal Relationships, 19(2), 304–325. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2011.01363.x
  • Ritchie, T. D., Batteson, T. J., Bohn, A., Crawford, M. T., Ferguson, G. V., Schrauf, R. W., Vogl, R. J., & Walker, W. R. (2015). A pancultural perspective on the fading affect bias in autobiographical memory. Memory, 23(2), 278–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2014.884138
  • Ritchie, T. D., Kitsch, K. S., Dromey, M., & Skowronski, J. J. (2019). Individuals who report eating disorder symptoms also exhibit a disrupted fading affect bias in autobiographical memory. Memory, 27(2), 239–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2018.1502321
  • Ritchie, T. D., Skowronski, J. J., Hartnett, J., Wells, B., & Walker, W. R. (2009). The fading affect bias in the context of emotion activation level, mood, and personal theories of emotion change. Memory, 17(4), 428–444. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658210902791665
  • Ritchie, T. D., Skowronski, J. J., Wood, S. E., Walker, W. R., Vogl, R. J., & Gibbons, J. A. (2006). Event self-importance, event rehearsal, and the fading affect bias in autobiographical memory. Self and Identity, 5 (2) , 172–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860600591222
  • Rogers, T. B., Kuiper, N. A., & Kirker, W. S. (1977). Self-reference and the encoding of personal information. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(9), 677–688. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.35.9.677.
  • Saffrey, C., & Ehrenberg, M. (2007). When thinking hurts: Attachment, rumination, and postrelationship adjustment. Personal Relationships, 14 (3) , 351–368. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2007.00160.x
  • Sedikides, C., & Skowronski, J. J. (2020). In human memory, good can be stronger than bad. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29(1), 86–91. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721419896363
  • Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2007). Adult attachment strategies and the regulation of emotion. In J. J. Gross (Ed.), Handbook of emotion regulation (pp. 446–465). Guilford Press.
  • Sheldon, P., Gilchrist-Petty, E., & Lessley, J. A. (2014). You did what? The relationship between forgiveness tendency, communication of forgiveness, and relationship satisfaction in married and dating couples. Communication Reports, 27 (2) , 78–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2014.902486
  • Shi, L. (2003). The association between adult attachment styles and conflict resolution in romantic relationships. American Journal of Family Therapy, 31(3), 143–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926180301120
  • Sierau, S., & Herzberg, P. Y. (2012). Conflict resolution as a dyadic mediator: Considering the partner perspective on conflict resolution. European Journal of Personality, 26, 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.828
  • Sillars, A. L., Weisberg, J., Burggraf, C. S., & Zeitlow, P. H. (1990). Communication and understanding revisited: Married couples’ understanding and recall of conversations. Communication Research, 17(4), 500–522. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365090017004006
  • Simpson, J. A., Collins, W. A., Tran, S., & Haydon, K. C. (2007). Attachment and the experience and expression of emotions in romantic relationships: A developmental perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(2), 355–367. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.355
  • Simpson, J. A., & Overall, N. C. (2014). Partner buffering of attachment insecurity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23 (1) , 54–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721413510933
  • Simpson, J. A., & Rholes, W. S. (2012). Adult attachment orientations, stress, and romantic relationships. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 45, 279–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394286-9.00006-8
  • Simpson, J. A., & Rholes, W. S. (1994). Stress and secure base relationships in adulthood. In K. Bartholomew & D. Perlman (Eds.), Advances in personal relationships, Vol. 5. Attachment processes in adulthood (pp. 181–204). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
  • Simpson, J. A., Winterheld, H. A., Rholes, W. S., & Oriña, M. (2007). Working models of attachment and reactions to different forms of caregiving from romantic partners. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(3), 466–477. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.93.3.466
  • Skowronski, J. J., & Carlston, D. E. (1989). Negativity and extremity biases in impression formation: A review of explanations. Psychological Bulletin, 105(1), 131–142. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.105.1.131
  • Skowronski, J. J., Crouch, J. L., Coley, S. L., Sasson, S., Wagner, M. F., Rutledge, E., Cote, K., Miksys, C., & Milner, J. S. (2016). Fading of affect associated with negative child-related memories varies by parental child abuse potential. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 30 (6), 972–982. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3287
  • Skowronski, J. J., Walker, W. R., Henderson, D. X., & Bond, G. D. (2014). The fading affect bias: Its history, its implications, and its future. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 49, 163–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800052-6.00003-2
  • Walker, W. R., Skowronski, J. J., & Thompson, C. P. (2003). Life is pleasant – And memory helps to keep it that way! Review of General Psychology, 7(2), 203–210. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.7.2.203
  • Walker, W. R., & Skowronski, J. J. (2009). The fading affect bias: But what the hell is it for? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23 (8) , 1122–1136. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1614
  • Walker, W. R., Vogl, R. J., & Thompson, C. P. (1997). Autobiographical memory: Unpleasantness fades faster than pleasantness over time. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 11 (5) , 399–413. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-0720(199710)11:5<399::aid-acp462>3.0.co2-e
  • Wiebe, S. A., Johnson, S. M., Lafontaine, M. F., Burgess Moser, M., Dalgleish, T. L., & Tasca, G. A. (2016). Two-year follow-up outcomes in emotionally focused couple therapy: An investigation of relationship satisfaction and attachment trajectories. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(2), 227–244. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12206
  • Zengel, B., Lee, E. M., Walker, W. R., & Skowronski, J. J. (2019). Romantic relationships and fading of affect for memories of the shared past. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(5), 861–872. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3527

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.