Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Coping Strategies: Problem Focused01:27

Coping Strategies: Problem Focused

Coping strategies are methods people use to manage, tolerate, or reduce the effects of stressors. These strategies involve both behavioral and psychological actions to handle stressful situations. One common approach is problem-focused coping, which aims to change or eliminate the source of stress rather than merely addressing its consequences. This method involves taking direct action to resolve the issue causing stress.
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused01:20

Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused

Emotion-focused coping refers to a set of strategies aimed at managing the emotional impact of stressors, rather than directly addressing their causes. This approach involves altering one's emotional response to stressful situations to reduce their psychological effects. For example, individuals might talk with a friend or engage in activities like journaling to express their feelings. Such actions can help achieve emotional clarity or release, providing the psychological stability needed to...
Counterfactual Thinking01:19

Counterfactual Thinking

Counterfactual thinking is a cognitive process wherein individuals mentally reconstruct alternative versions of past events, often beginning with “what if” or “if only.” This reflective mechanism plays a significant role in shaping emotional experiences and guiding future behavior. Though typically triggered by unfavorable or unexpected outcomes, counterfactual thinking can also emerge in mundane, everyday decisions and experiences, revealing its deep entrenchment in human cognition.Types of...
Beck's Cognitive Therapy01:25

Beck's Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
Cognitive Therapy01:25

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
The Influence of Cognition on Affect01:29

The Influence of Cognition on Affect

Cognition plays a pivotal role in shaping emotional experiences, as demonstrated by Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion. According to this model, emotion arises from a combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. The body’s physiological response to stimuli is ambiguous and only gains emotional significance through cognitive labeling. For instance, an increased heart rate and adrenaline surge while standing near an attractive person may be interpreted as...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Network intervention analysis of a school-based gaming disorder prevention program in Hong Kong primary school students.

Journal of psychiatric research·2026
Same author

Associations of Substance Use and Positive Coping Behaviors with Sleep Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Frontiers in sleep·2025
Same author

Flexibility in coping deployment and psychological adjustment during COVID-19: A three-level meta-analysis across 33 countries.

Social science & medicine (1982)·2025
Same author

New Perspective on Digital Well-Being by Distinguishing Digital Competency From Dependency: Network Approach.

Journal of medical Internet research·2025
Same author

Analyzing Themes, Sentiments, and Coping Strategies Regarding Online News Coverage of Depression in Hong Kong: Mixed Methods Study.

Journal of medical Internet research·2025
Same author

Evaluation of a multicomponent positive psychology program to prevent gaming disorder and enhance mental wellness in primary pupils: A randomized controlled trial.

Journal of behavioral addictions·2024
Same journal

Identifying Robust Longitudinal Transactions Between Loneliness and the Big Five Personality Traits.

Journal of personality·2026
Same journal

The (Simp)le Truth About Excessive and Obsessive Romantic Behaviors in Men.

Journal of personality·2026
Same journal

The Robust Quadratic Association Between Resting Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia and Agreeableness: The Evidence From Two Samples in China.

Journal of personality·2026
Same journal

Ego, Elevation, and Exclusion: Bidirectional Prospective Associations Between Narcissism and Status and Inclusion.

Journal of personality·2026
Same journal

Life Narratives and the Ten Aspects of the Big Five Across Open-Ended and Targeted Prompts.

Journal of personality·2026
Same journal

Life Stories Matter: The Contribution of Narrative Identity to Personality Functioning and Functional Impairment.

Journal of personality·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
07:26

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Published on: May 4, 2020

Dialectical thinking and coping flexibility: a multimethod approach.

Cecilia Cheng1

  • 1Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong. ceci-cheng@hku.hk

Journal of Personality
|February 18, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Dialectical thinking, the ability to understand and integrate opposing viewpoints, is positively linked to coping flexibility. This means thinking dialectically helps individuals adapt their coping strategies effectively to changing situations and demands.

More Related Videos

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice
09:15

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice

Published on: February 4, 2015

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View
05:26

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
07:26

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Published on: May 4, 2020

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice
09:15

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice

Published on: February 4, 2015

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View
05:26

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Published on: January 7, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Coping flexibility is crucial for navigating diverse and evolving life challenges.
  • Dialectical thinking, characterized by the integration of contradictions, has been theorized to support adaptive coping.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between dialectical thinking and coping flexibility.
  • To examine if dialectical thinking predicts changes in coping flexibility and anxiety over time.

Main Methods:

  • A multimethod approach was employed across three studies.
  • Methods included cross-sectional, experimental (priming), and prospective longitudinal designs.
  • Participants' coping flexibility and dialectical thinking were assessed using various measures.

Main Results:

  • All three studies consistently demonstrated a positive association between dialectical thinking and coping flexibility.
  • Dialectical thinking predicted greater coping flexibility and lower state anxiety over a 12-month period.

Conclusions:

  • Dialectical thinking is a significant factor contributing to an individual's ability to employ flexible coping strategies.
  • Cultivating dialectical thinking may enhance psychological adaptation and reduce anxiety in response to stressors.