Ex-appraisal bias: Negative illusions in appraising relationship quality retrospectively

Cognitive biases are prevalent within the context of romantic relationships. The present research investigated biases about relationships after they have ended. In a longitudinal design (N = 184), individuals reported relationship quality at two time points, as well as rated relationship quality retrospectively. Results supported an ex-appraisal bias: individuals rated their past relationship quality more negatively in retrospect than they had actually reported at the time. This bias was present across participants who stayed together and those who broke up but was three times larger for those whose relationships had ended. This bias may be a motivated cognition that helps individuals let go of their ex-partners after a breakup.

Ex-appraisal bias: Negative illusions in appraising relationship quality retrospectively

Cognitive biases are prevalent within the context of romantic relationships. The present research investigated biases about relationships after they have ended. In a longitudinal design ( N = 184), individuals reported relationship quality at two time points, as well as rated relationship quality retrospectively. Results supported an ex-appraisal bias: individuals rated their past relationship quality more negatively in retrospect than they had actually reported at the time. This bias was present across participants who stayed together and those who broke up but was three times larger for those whose relationships had ended. This bias may be a motivated cognition that helps individuals let go of their ex-partners after a breakup.

Evidence for the Existence of Emotion Dispositions and the Effects of Appraisal Bias

The concept of emotion disposition is proposed as an important dimension of individual differences. It refers to a stable tendency to experience certain emotions more or less frequently or intensely than the majority of other people for similar classes of situations or events in daily experience. In contrast to classic “trait affect” traditions, the theoretical framework described here proposes a specific causal mechanism, appraisal bias, that is, the evaluation of events or situations in an unrealistic, biased fashion. A classic example is a bias toward internal versus external causal attribution. It is suggested that such biases can occur for virtually all appraisal criteria (e.g., novelty/expectedness, (un)pleasantness, goal conduciveness/obstruction, causation, control, power, and norm compatibility), creating a disposition to more frequently experience specific emotions. These emotions may eventually result in the development of affective disorders. Two studies are herein reported: (a) the investigation of an emotion disposition assessment instrument administered to several thousand adults in personnel assessment contexts (N = 3,012), demonstrating the existence and intensity of emotion dispositions and identifying potential correlates; and (b) a representative survey panel study (N = 190) in which an updated version of the instrument was used to assess both emotion dispositions and appraisal biases, allowing analysis of the relationships between them (in addition to examining the effect of correlates). The results confirm the viability of the concept and of the scenario method used for the assessment and provide leads for further research, particularly in the areas of emotional competence and affective disorders.