When Two Become One: Exploring Identity in Marriage and Cohabitation

We examine the psychosocial impact of marital status change, and the spontaneously emerging theme of identity. In-depth interviews were conducted with 82 cohabiting, married, widowed, and divorced British adults, focusing on changes in daily routine, social relationships, and social support. We draw attention to findings of interviews with men and women who entered a married ( n = 30) or cohabiting ( n = 8) relationship for the first time. The interviews provide an insight into the complex process of identity change in marriage and cohabitation. Participants described an identity shift from “I” to “we” which was associated with social and personal changes in how they understood themselves. Marriage and cohabitation were viewed as positive transitions facilitating personal growth. However, importantly, marriage, in particular, was also associated with a process of depersonalization which posed a challenge to private identity. We conclude with a discussion of the ways in which participants managed this identity conflict. </jats:p

The anterior bias in visual art: The case of images of animals

none3noneBertamini, Marco*; Bennett, Kate M.; Bode, CaroleBertamini, Marco; Bennett, Kate M.; Bode, Carol

A methodological review of resilience measurement scales

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of interventions and policies designed to promote resilience, and research to understand the determinants and associations, require reliable and valid measures to ensure data quality. This paper systematically reviews the psychometric rigour of resilience measurement scales developed for use in general and clinical populations. METHODS: Eight electronic abstract databases and the internet were searched and reference lists of all identified papers were hand searched. The focus was to identify peer reviewed journal articles where resilience was a key focus and/or is assessed. Two authors independently extracted data and performed a quality assessment of the scale psychometric properties. RESULTS: Nineteen resilience measures were reviewed; four of these were refinements of the original measure. All the measures had some missing information regarding the psychometric properties. Overall, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Resilience Scale for Adults and the Brief Resilience Scale received the best psychometric ratings. The conceptual and theoretical adequacy of a number of the scales was questionable. CONCLUSION: We found no current 'gold standard' amongst 15 measures of resilience. A number of the scales are in the early stages of development, and all require further validation work. Given increasing interest in resilience from major international funders, key policy makers and practice, researchers are urged to report relevant validation statistics when using the measures

Attractiveness is influenced by the relationship between postures of the viewer and the viewed person

Many factors influence physical attractiveness, including degree of symmetry and relative length of legs. We asked a sample of 112 young adults to rate the attractiveness of computer-generated female bodies that varied in terms of symmetry and leg-to-body ratio. These effects were confirmed. However, we also varied whether the person in the image was shown sitting or standing. Half of the participants were tested standing and the other half sitting. The difference in the posture of the participants increased the perceived attractiveness of the images sharing the same posture, despite the fact that participants were unaware that their posture was relevant for the experiment. We conclude that our findings extend the role of embodied simulation in social cognition to perception of attractiveness from static images

"We Were in a Partnership That Wasn't Recognized by Anyone Else'': Examining the Effects of Male Gay Partner Bereavement, Masculinity, and Identity

Research with older gay “widowers”1 is relatively rare and the majority focuses on the AIDS/HIV context, rather than on broader causes of death. However, drawing on studies of heterosexual spousal bereavement, we suggest that older widowers are faced with two competing challenges that impact on their identity. They are expected to grieve in a socially acceptable manner, while at the same time conform to hegemonic masculine identity. We investigate whether gay widowers face the same challenges and whether there are additional challenges compared to heterosexual widowers following the loss of their partners. We interviewed twenty older gay widowers about their experiences. We illustrate our findings with four case studies. We find that gay men, like heterosexual men, manage the challenges of normative grieving as defined by hegemonic masculinity. However, gay men also face challenges of gay identity. We discuss the ways in which these men negotiate the intersectionality of grieving, masculinity, and being gay. In addition, identities are reconstructed in response to the expectations of the gay community. Finally, gay men have to negotiate their position as grieving widower within the wider social context. </jats:p

How to achieve resilience as an older widower: turning points or gradual change?

ABSTRACT The paper draws together two conceptualisations of resilience in bereavement and widowhood that were developed b

Testing Alternative Models and Predictive Utility of the Death Anxiety Inventory-Revised: A COVID-19 Related Longitudinal Population Based Study

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on all aspects of daily life and triggered a swell of anxiety across the world. Some suggest this emotional response to the pandemic can be explained through death anxiety (DA), a transdiagnostic dimension associated with numerous psychological disorders. However, it remains unclear as to whether DA is a unidimensional or multidimensional construct. The primary aim of this study was to examine the underlying structure of the Death Anxiety Inventory-Revised (DAI-R; Tomás-Sábado et al., 2005) and assess its associations with mental health and demographic variables during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve these aims, we utilized data from Waves 1 (N = 2205: collected between March 23 and March 28, 2020) and 2 (N = 1406: collected between April 22 and May 1, 2020) of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC), a multi-wave nationally representative study. Results showed that a 4-factor model provided the best fit to the data compared to a unidimensional and 4-factor second-order model. Further analyses showed that DA at Wave 1 was positively associated with somatic symptoms, paranoia, depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms at Wave 2, supporting previous research that suggests that the fear of death is predictive of psychopathology. Significantly, the factor labelled ‘Thoughts about Death’ at Wave 1 was the strongest predictor of the five main psychological variables at Wave 2, after statistically controlling for the other latent variables. These findings highlight the transdiagnostic nature of DA and support this important diagnostic construct becoming a measure of mental health more generally within the population. It is hoped that this research will shine a light on those suffering from DA and become a catalyst for increased therapeutic intervention, funding, and research in this area

Caregiving and allostatic load predict future illness and disability: A population-based study

BACKGROUND: Caring for sick or disabled relatives is a key model for understanding the effects of chronic stress on immunity/inflammation; biomarkers which are part of an index of allostatic load. Here, we examine whether caring and allostatic load are predictive of future illness/disability and if the association between caring and illness/disability is mediated by allostatic load. METHOD: Using data from the Understanding Society Wave 2 (2011) and Wave 9 (2017–2019) datasets in the UK, a sample of 471 of caregivers and 2,151 non-caregivers (all initially healthy) were compared on allostatic load and future illness/disability. RESULTS: Caregivers had higher allostatic risk scores, for total as well as immune and non-immune biomarkers, and were more likely (23.3% vs 17.4%) to have an illness/disability in the future compared to non-caregivers. Moreover, caregiving was responsible for a 33% future illness/disability risk. Further, allostatic load was also predictive of excess risk (OR ​= ​1.18, 95% CI ​= ​1.08 – 1.26; p ​< ​.001); higher allostatic load was associated with increased risk of illness/disability in the future. In an unadjusted mediation model, allostatic load mediated the association between caregiving and future illness/disability. However, after controlling for confounding, the mediation became non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm that caregiving and allostatic load are damaging for future health. Results are also discussed in relation to public health aspects of caregiving

Resilience amongst Older Colombians Living in Poverty: an Ecological Approach.

Older Colombians face significant adversities: poverty, violence and displacement. However, there is evidence that Latinos are often resilient. We examine resilience in older Colombians living in poverty using an ecological framework that identifies three levels: individual; community; and societal. In this paper we examine data from 16 semi-structured interviews with older Colombians that explore resilience within the context of poverty. We analyze our data using three stages: (1) modified grounded theory; (2) assignment of resilience status; (3) identification of components of the ecological framework which contribute to resilience in these participants. The most striking feature is that some participants are able to adapt to their situation, demonstrating resilience, whilst others are not. Individual characteristics such as psychological and material resources contribute to resilience. At the community level, family, social support, participation and cohesion promote resilience. Finally, at the societal level, social and welfare services, finance, religion and social policy, are important factors. These different levels of resilience are co-dependent, and we illustrate how this is so. We suggest that older Colombians living in poverty often demonstrate resilience, but that more can be done to enhance their lives. This includes interventions at the individual and community levels alongside changes in social policy