Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
J Pers. 2010 Aug 1;78(4):1271-99. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00650.x. Epub 2010 Jun 1.
We hypothesized that the effect of initiator status on post breakup distress would vary as a function of trait self-esteem, such that individuals with low self-esteem would experience more distress after being rejected by their partners, whereas, among individuals with high self-esteem, initiator status would not predict distress. We used a prospective design in which university students (N=66) were assessed for emotional responses following the dissolution of their real-life romantic relationships, as well as a laboratory design in which students (N=190) imagined breaking up with their partners. As predicted, participants with lower trait self-esteem exhibited greater distress after experiencing or imagining a romantic rejection than after ending or imagining themselves ending their relationships. Conversely, distress experienced by those with high trait self-esteem did not differ as a function of who ended the relationship. Implications for understanding self-esteem processes and the effects of romantic rejection are discussed.
我们假设发起分手者的身份对分手后痛苦的影响会因特质自尊而异，即低自尊的个体在被伴侣拒绝后会经历更多的痛苦，而高自尊的个体中，发起分手者的身份不会预测痛苦。我们使用了前瞻性设计，评估了大学生（N=66）在现实生活中浪漫关系破裂后的情绪反应，以及实验室设计，评估了学生（N=190）想象与伴侣分手的情况。正如预测的那样，特质自尊较低的参与者在经历或想象浪漫拒绝后表现出更大的痛苦，而在结束或想象自己结束关系后则没有那么痛苦。相反，高特质自尊的参与者经历的痛苦程度与谁结束关系无关。讨论了对理解自尊过程和浪漫拒绝影响的意义。
