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Zamir O, Oved N, Szepsenwol O, Estlein R, Borelli JL, Granger DA, Shai D. The intersection between alexithymia, testosterone reactivity, and coparenting in fathers predicts child's prosocial behavior. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105565. [PMID: 38851170 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
The development of prosocial skills in children is a key predictor of long-term social, cognitive, and emotional functioning. However, the role of fathers' psychological characteristics in fostering prosocial development, including during the prenatal period, and the mechanisms underlying their influence, remain relatively unexplored. This study aimed to examine whether a higher tendency of alexithymia, a difficulty to identify and verbalize emotions, in expectant fathers predicts prosocial behavior of two-year-old toddlers through the quality of coparenting and whether greater testosterone increase during a stressful parenting task moderates this indirect effect. A sample of 105 couples and their children was tracked longitudinally starting from the third trimester of pregnancy (T1), at three months (T2), and at two years postnatally (T3). Using self-report questionnaires, fathers reported on alexithymia (T1) and mothers and fathers reported on coparenting quality (T2). Additionally, fathers provided saliva samples before and after engaging in a stressful parenting task (the Inconsolable Doll Task) to measure testosterone reactivity (T1). Children's prosocial behavior was observed during an out-of-reach task (T3). A moderated mediation analysis using structural equation modeling showed that higher levels of alexithymia pre-birth predicted lower coparenting quality three months after birth, which in turn predicted lower prosocial behavior of two-year-old children, but only among fathers with mean or high testosterone increases. This study illuminates a potential mechanism by which fathers' alexithymia and testosterone reactivity forecast their toddlers' prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osnat Zamir
- The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel.
| | - Noa Oved
- The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Rabenu Yeruham St 2, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
| | | | - Roi Estlein
- School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Jessica L Borelli
- Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, United States.
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
| | - Dana Shai
- The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Rabenu Yeruham St 2, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
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Gresham AM, Peters BJ, Tudder A, Simpson JA. Sense of power and markers of challenge and threat during extra-dyadic problem discussions with romantic partners. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14379. [PMID: 37382473 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Power, the capacity to influence others while resisting their attempts at influence, has implications for a wide variety of individual- and relationship-level outcomes. One potential mechanism through which power may be associated with various outcomes is motivation orientation. High power has been linked to greater approach-oriented motivation, whereas low power has been linked to greater avoidance-oriented motivation. However, current research has mostly relied on artificially created relationships (and the power dynamics therein) in the lab to assess the associations between power and motivation orientations. Utilizing the Biopsychosocial Model of Challenge and Threat framework, the current study examined how power is related to physiological responses indicative of psychological challenge (i.e., approach) and threat (i.e., avoidance) during discussions of problems outside of the relationship between romantic partners. The primary hypothesis that higher power would be associated with more approach-oriented challenge and less avoidance-oriented threat was supported via self-reports, but not via physiological assessments. Instead, physiological assessments revealed that for those disclosing problems to high-power partners, greater power was associated with reactivity consistent with more avoidance-oriented threat and less approach-oriented challenge. This is the first research to examine associations between power and in vivo indices of challenge and threat during interactions between romantic partners. It advances our understanding of how power elicits motivation orientations and influences the stress response system by highlighting the importance of situational attributes (e.g., role during a conversation) that may undermine power during disclosures with a high-power partner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brett J Peters
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Ashley Tudder
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jeffry A Simpson
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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French JE, McNulty JK, Makhanova A, Maner JK, Eckel LA, Nikonova L, Meltzer AL. An Empirical Investigation of the Roles of Biological, Relational, Cognitive, and Emotional Factors in Explaining Sex Differences in Dyadic Sexual Desire. Biol Psychol 2022; 174:108421. [PMID: 36031012 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
One challenge many marital couples face is that they experience discrepant levels of sexual desire for one another. Such discrepancies are particularly likely to arise in mixed-sex relationships because, at least in long-term relationships, men tend to have higher levels of sexual desire for their partner than do women. But what underlies this sex difference? We used a dyadic study of 100 mixed-sex community-based newlywed spouses to investigate the role of biological, relational, cognitive, and emotional factors in explaining sex differences in dyadic sexual desire for a long-term partner. Consistent with predictions, wives on average reported lower daily sexual desire for their spouse than did husbands. Moreover, individual differences in men's and women's levels of circulating testosterone explained this sex difference whereas relational (marital satisfaction, commitment), cognitive (sex-role identification, stress, self-esteem), and emotional (mood, depressive symptoms) factors did not. These findings advance our knowledge of factors that influence dyadic sexual desire and may have practical implications for treating relationship distress in mixed-sex marriages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana E French
- Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis, Oklahoma State University, 116 Psychology Building, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - James K McNulty
- Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | | | - Jon K Maner
- Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Lisa A Eckel
- Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Larissa Nikonova
- Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Andrea L Meltzer
- Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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Makhanova A, McNulty JK, Eckel LA, Nikonova L, Bartz JA, Hammock EAD. CD38 is associated with bonding-relevant cognitions and relationship satisfaction over the first 3 years of marriage. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2965. [PMID: 33536489 PMCID: PMC7859203 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82307-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are numerous benefits to having a satisfying romantic relationship, maintaining high levels of relationship satisfaction is difficult. Many couples experience declines in relationship satisfaction in the early years of marriage, and such declines predict not only relationship dissolution but also poor mental and physical health. Several recent studies indicate that genetic variation on the CD38 gene (CD38), at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs3796863, is associated with cognitions and behaviors related to pair bonding; we thus leveraged longitudinal data from a sample of newlywed couples (N = 139 genotyped individuals; 71 couples) to examine whether rs3796863 is associated with relationship maintenance processes and, in turn, relationship satisfaction in the early years of marriage. Replicating and extending prior research, we found that individuals with the CC genotype (vs. AC/AA) of rs3796863 reported higher levels of gratitude, trust, and forgiveness and that trust mediated the association between rs3796863 and marital satisfaction. Moreover, the benefits conferred to CC individuals lasted over the first 3 years of marriage. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the link between variation in CD38 rs3796863 and marital functioning over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Makhanova
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA.
| | - James K McNulty
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Lisa A Eckel
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Larissa Nikonova
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Jennifer A Bartz
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Ave, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A D Hammock
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
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Alacreu-Crespo A, Peñarroja V, Hidalgo V, Martínez-Tur V, Salvador A, Serrano MÁ. Sex differences in the psychophysiological response to an intergroup conflict. Biol Psychol 2019; 149:107780. [PMID: 31605726 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conflict induces psychophysiological responses, but less is known about responses to intergroup conflict. Intergroup relationships activate social processes, adding complexity to people's physiological responses. This study analyzes the psychophysiological responses to intergroup conflict considering sex differences. Thus, 150 young people were distributed in 50 groups in two conditions (conflict vs. non-conflict). Conflict was created in the interaction between two groups (three people each) in the laboratory. Their responses were compared to a control group. Mood, heart rate variability, cortisol, and testosterone were measured. Results showed that intergroup conflict induced a less pronounced decrease in negative and positive mood, and a reduction in parasympathetic activity (RMSSD of IBI). Moreover, women in conflict showed lower testosterone levels than men in conflict and control women. Finally, women's conflict perception correlated with their psychophysiological response. Results suggest that intergroup conflict induces emotional, cardiovascular, and endocrine responses, and that men and women interpret conflict differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Alacreu-Crespo
- Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez, 21, Valencia, 46010, Spain; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, CHU Montpellier, INSERM Unit 1061, Neuropsychiatry, Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France
| | - Vicente Peñarroja
- Faculty of Economics and Business. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Spain
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Aragon Health Research Institute, Aragon, Teruel, Spain; Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel-Ángel Serrano
- Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez, 21, Valencia, 46010, Spain.
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