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"Walking on eggshells": how expressing relationship insecurities perpetuates them
Edward P Lemay1, Margaret S Clark
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. edward.lemay@yale.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 31, 2008
Summary
Expressing emotional vulnerability due to relationship insecurity can lead to doubts about a partner's sincerity, potentially perpetuating insecurity and rejection. This cycle highlights the cognitive impact of vulnerability expression in relationships.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Insecurity in relationships can trigger vulnerability expression.
- Cognitive processes following vulnerability expression are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and test a model explaining how expressing vulnerability due to insecurity perpetuates relational insecurity.
- To investigate the cognitive consequences of expressing vulnerability.
Main Methods:
- The study employed multiple studies (N=5) including correlational and experimental designs.
- Methods involved assessing relationship insecurity, vulnerability expression, perceptions of partner authenticity, and rejection.
Main Results:
- Expressing vulnerability led individuals to believe their partner viewed them as highly vulnerable.
- This perception increased doubts about the partner's authenticity and led to perceived rejection.
- Perceived rejection predicted partner derogation and further vulnerability expression, perpetuating insecurity.
Conclusions:
- Expressing vulnerability in the context of insecurity can create a self-perpetuating cycle of doubt and rejection.
- Intrapersonal cognitive effects of vulnerability expression play a key role in maintaining relational insecurity.
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