Using mental contrasting with implementation intentions to self-regulate insecurity-based behaviors in relationships
- Sylviane Houssais,
- Gabriele Oettingen,
- Doris Mayer
- … show all 3 hide
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Abstract
In relationships, behaviors aimed at alleviating insecurity often end up increasing it instead. The present research tested whether a self-regulatory technique, mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII), can help people reduce the frequency with which they engage in insecurity-based behaviors. Participants in romantic relationships identified an insecurity-based behavior they wanted to reduce and learned the MCII strategy, a reverse control strategy, or no strategy. One week later, participants in the MCII condition showed a greater reduction in the self-reported frequency of their unwanted behavior compared to participants in the control conditions, as well as a greater increase in relationship commitment from 2 months prior to the intervention.
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About this Article
- Title
- Using mental contrasting with implementation intentions to self-regulate insecurity-based behaviors in relationships
- Journal
-
Motivation and Emotion
Volume 37, Issue 2 , pp 224-233 - Cover Date
- 2013-06-01
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11031-012-9307-4
- Print ISSN
- 0146-7239
- Online ISSN
- 1573-6644
- Publisher
- Springer US
- Additional Links
- Topics
- Keywords
-
- Insecurity
- Relationships
- Self-regulation
- Mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII)
- Authors
-
-
Sylviane Houssais
(1)
-
Gabriele Oettingen
(1)
(2)
- Doris Mayer (2)
-
Sylviane Houssais
- Author Affiliations
-
- 1. New York University, 6 Washington Place, New York, NY, 10003, USA
- 2. Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany