Thesis project (D. Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 220-234).

M.A. / Shyness is an individual difference variable that has the potential to impact on the processes that facilitate the development of emotional intimacy. There has been little research that has focussed on shyness within the conext of close relationships, providing an opportunity for further research. Reis and Shaver (1988) and Reis and Patrick (1996) described the interpersonal process model of intimacy, which provides comprehensive and integrated model from which to examine emotional intimacy. The model is supported by research within the field of interpersonal relationship studies. Emotional intimacy is believed to experienced as a subjective sense of connectedness, which is the outcome of an interpersonal, transactional and dynamic process that consists of self-disclosure and partner responsiveness. The model incoporates the notion that individual difference variable can interfere with the development of emotional intimacy as the level of these processes of self-disclosure and partner responsiveness.

The meeting of the eyes is a potent form of communication. The eyes are able to convey many subtle nuances of feeling by their complex capacity for expression. Their stimulus configuration has made them highly noticeable; they serve as an innate releaser for the responses of animals and infants. The fact that they are critical in the maternal - infant relationship later gives them special meaning to the adult person. This is conveyed in the many references to the eyes found in literature, language, art, and mythology. Psychologists have begun to recognize, both in research and practice, the importance of eye contact in interpersonal interaction. Eyes intensify expressions of warmth and empathy, as well as hostility and aggression (Ellsworth & Carlsmith, 1968). Recognizing this, psycho- therapists have begun to emphasize the intimacy value of eye contact. Group therapists and sensitivity trainers often ask strangers to engage in eye contact as a way of transcending interpersonal barriers in a group. Many of the relationships between eye contact and variables such as sex, age, race, and culture have been investigated. It is assumed in most of these studies that eye contact leads to intimacy. The present study will attempt to document this assumption. For this purpose, it was hypothesized that 3 minutes of silent eye contact between a female subject and a confederate would facilitate inti- macy more so than the two selected silent control conditions which were also of 3 -minute duration. One of these involved looking at another part of the body, the hand, and the other was an interaction in which no instructions were given other than to maintain silence. For this study, intimacy was postulated to be composed of the Rogerian attitudes which facilitate therapeutic change - empathy, positive regard, and congruence. In addition to the main effect of condition, a secondary prediction involved a main effect of personality. That is, the way a subject responded to the confederate was partly related to the subject's style of relating to people, regardless of experimental condition. A three-way interaction effect was predicted for the dependent variable of state anxiety such that high AFFE would lead to an increase in anxiety going from high interpersonal contact- -the eye contact condition- -to low interpersonal contact- -the hand and non-directed conditions. The reverse was predicted for low AFFE. In addition, the magnitude of the interaction would differ for high vs. low anxious subjects on the trait anxiety. That is, the amount of anxiety experienced by high and low AFFE subjects in both the high and low contact conditions was hypothesized to be less. As predicted, in all cases women who made eye contact expressed more intimacy than the those with no eye contact. By their own report, they felt more empathy, positive feeling, and willingness to tell intimate details about their lives to the women they had visually contacted than did the women in the other situations. Furthermore, the hypothesis was partially confirmed that subjects who usually express affection to other people (high AFFE) feel greater empathy than do low AFFE subjects. Only in the case of empathy was the difference between high and low AFFE significant; however, the trend was in the predicted direction for self-disclosure and positive feeling variables. The final hypothesis was not supported. That is, trait anxiety did not interact significantly with condition and personality for state anxiety. Problems in the measurement of this variable may have accounted for the nonsignificant results. Implications for further research are discussed. / This thesis was digitized as part of a project begun in 2014 to increase the number of Duke psychology theses available online. The digitization project was spearheaded by Ciara Healy.

This study examined the relation between attachment characteristics and intimacy experienced after one’s attachment style is activated. Attachment theory states that when an individual feels threatened by an attachment figure, attachment style is activated and dictates how that individual relates to his or her partner in that situation. This study tests this theory. Data were collected on 110 committed romantic couples from the community. Each individual completed a series of questionnaires, including the Adult Attachment Questionnaire. Couples then engaged in a series of four videotaped interactions in which both partners had an opportunity to discuss times in which their feelings were hurt by someone other than their partner and times in which their feelings were hurt by their partner. These interactions were regarded as low- and high-risk, respectively. The high-risk interaction was specifically targeted to activate attachment style and elicit attachment behaviors. Analyses were conducted using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). This model takes into account the interdependence of observations between partners. As a function of this model, both actor effects (the effect one’s own attachment style has on one’s own experiences of intimacy) and partner effects (the effect one’s own attachment style has on one’s partner’s experiences of intimacy) were examined. Intimacy was conceptualized in two different manners: state (post-interaction intimacy) and trait (overall intimacy in the relationship). It was hypothesized that individuals with insecure attachment characteristics would report lower feelings of both state and trait intimacy compared to securely attached individuals. It was also predicted that the partners of individuals with insecure attachment characteristics would report lower state and trait intimacy following the high-risk interaction compared to partners of secure individuals. The results of this study supported these hypotheses. Models testing the effect of the attachment characteristics avoidance, ambivalence, and avoidance-x-ambivalence found a relation between the presence of insecure attachment characteristics and lower levels of both state and trait intimacy. Implications of these results and future directions of study are discussed.

This study examined the relation between attachment characteristics and intimacy experienced after one’s attachment style is activated. Attachment theory states that when an individual feels threatened by an attachment figure, attachment style is activated and dictates how that individual relates to his or her partner in that situation. This study tests this theory. Data were collected on 110 committed romantic couples from the community. Each individual completed a series of questionnaires, including the Adult Attachment Questionnaire. Couples then engaged in a series of four videotaped interactions in which both partners had an opportunity to discuss times in which their feelings were hurt by someone other than their partner and times in which their feelings were hurt by their partner. These interactions were regarded as low- and high-risk, respectively. The high-risk interaction was specifically targeted to activate attachment style and elicit attachment behaviors. Analyses were conducted using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). This model takes into account the interdependence of observations between partners. As a function of this model, both actor effects (the effect one’s own attachment style has on one’s own experiences of intimacy) and partner effects (the effect one’s own attachment style has on one’s partner’s experiences of intimacy) were examined. Intimacy was conceptualized in two different manners: state (post-interaction intimacy) and trait (overall intimacy in the relationship). It was hypothesized that individuals with insecure attachment characteristics would report lower feelings of both state and trait intimacy compared to securely attached individuals. It was also predicted that the partners of individuals with insecure attachment characteristics would report lower state and trait intimacy following the high-risk interaction compared to partners of secure individuals. The results of this study supported these hypotheses. Models testing the effect of the attachment characteristics avoidance, ambivalence, and avoidance-x-ambivalence found a relation between the presence of insecure attachment characteristics and lower levels of both state and trait intimacy. Implications of these results and future directions of study are discussed.

As the average age of the population in the United States gets older each year, the problem of depression has been recognized as a chronic problem that affects the quality of life and mental health of many of our nation's elderly. Widowed females, who represent the largest segment of older adults, are particularly at risk for suffering from depression in their elder years. One of the primary difficulties in treating depression in this population is lack of understanding of the factors that contribute to its etiology, in the context of an environment which restricts development of social relationships and limits resources for treatment of depression symptoms. This study examined the reported levels of interpersonal intimacy, depression and the personality characteristics of introversion or extroversion, and examined the relationship between the three factors. Results indicated that, with this study sample (N=99), 23.2% of the sample met cut-off scores indicating depression. Overall, the participants reported being satisfied with their current level of intimacy in relationships; however those who also reported being depressed were less likely to be satisfied. Likewise, those participants who were depressed were more likely to be in the introvert group of personality characteristics. There was no significant relationship established between satisfaction with intimacy and the personality traits. The study showed that the variables examined, including some demographic variables, were correlated, but more work and a larger sample is needed to allow the variables to be used for the purpose of prediction of depression or satisfaction with intimacy in this population.

Three studies examined the relation of intimacy motivation as a social motive to interpersonal functioning. In Study 1, a self-report measure of intimacy motivation (san Int) was first constructed and then compared to the existing thematic measure (n Int; McAdams, 1992). The two motive measures were uncorrelated and associated with different quantitative and qualitative dimensions of social interactions. Nonetheless, both were independent predictors of the valence of interpersonal interaction. In Study 2, n Int and san Int were again found to be uncorrelated and to independently predict the valence of social interactions. In addition, the results indicated that although n Int and san Int were somewhat differently related to the sources and form of social support, both contributed independently as well as interactively to the perception of social support. In Study 3, the two forms of intimacy motivation were considered along with interpersonal skill and values in the prediction of rapport in a specific close relationship. The results showed that n Int and san Int independently predicted dyadic rapport as well as interacted with levels of interpersonal skill and values. Interestingly, there was also a negative interaction between n Int and san Int. Taken together, this series of studies provides strong support for distinguishing between motives assessed via self-report and thematic analysis as tapping two qualitatively different kinds of motivation. In addition these studies clearly indicate that the best prediction of interpersonal functioning is accomplished through the assessment of both kinds of motivation along with measures of interpersonal skills and values.

Background: Intimacy has been described as a primary psychological need. In order to function ‚normally‛, we require repeated, positive interactions with those with whom we are in a caring relationship. To date, research looking at adults with acquired communication disorders who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) has focussed on device selection, providing functional communication, acceptance and use of AAC, and caregiver support. There is a lack of research into how the use of AAC impacts the personal and social lives of adults with acquired communication disorders. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of intimacy and intimate communication from the perspective of individuals who have an acquired communication disorder and use AAC, and from the perspective of their partners. Method: A phenomenological research approach was used to address the study aim. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants with an acquired communication disorder who had used AAC some or all of the time and with their five partners. Joint semi-structured interviews were conducted with four of the couples. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes within the data. Results: Eight key themes emerged from the data, namely effort, importance, time, closeness, adaptation, emotion, identity, and privacy. Within these themes participants discussed how AAC has been both beneficial and detrimental to their intimacy and intimate communication. Discussion and Conclusion: This study has identified a number of important areas that professionals need to consider in order to facilitate successful intimacy and intimate communication for adults with acquired communication disorders who use AAC and for their partners. Future research is needed to identify specific ways speech-language therapists can help this population adapt their communication to make the best use of AAC for intimacy and intimate communication.

Thesis (M.A.E.T.)--Western Seminary, Portland, Or., 1998. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-112).

Thesis (M.A.E.T.)--Western Seminary, Portland, Or., 1998. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-112).