title: Implicit negative evaluations about ex-partner predicts break-up adjustment: the brighter side of dark cognitions.
abstract: Using a subliminal priming lexical decision task, the present research investigated whether individuals who show negative implicit evaluations of an ex-partner immediately after a break-up show superior post-break-up emotional adjustment. As expected, individuals whose reaction times indicated negative implicit evaluations of their ex-partner showed reduced depressive affect immediately after the break-up. Individuals who did not initiate their break-up demonstrated less negative implicit evaluations of their ex-partners as well as more depressive affect. Finally, increased negative implicit evaluations of ex-partners over a one-month period were associated with corresponding improvements in adjustment. The findings demonstrate a critical role for implicit evaluations in post-break-up adjustment.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 South 1530 East, room 502, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0251, USA. christopher.fagundes@psych.utah.edu
authors: Christopher P
authors: CP
authors: Fagundes
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D013360:Subliminal Stimulation; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology