Key research themes
1. How does attitudinal ambivalence affect affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes through the interplay of positive and negative evaluations?
This theme investigates the multifaceted consequences of ambivalent attitudes—where positive and negative associations coexist—on individuals' feelings (affective responses), thoughts (cognitive processes), and actions (behavior). It examines models that integrate these dimensions to elucidate when and why ambivalence leads to psychological discomfort, how it drives attempts at resolution, and how it influences attitude stability and change.
2. What role does intolerance of uncertainty (IU) play in emotional responses and decision-making under ambiguous or unpredictable conditions?
This theme centers on how individual differences in intolerance of uncertainty—a dispositional characteristic involving negative beliefs about uncertainty—affect emotional experiences, decision behaviors, and cognitive appraisals when confronted with ambiguous or unpredictable stimuli. It examines IU’s dimensional structure, psychometric assessments, and differential effects on both negative and positive emotions, as well as its behavioral manifestations in uncertainty-laden tasks.
3. How do cultural and interpersonal dynamics influence the experience and outcomes of attitudinal ambivalence?
Research in this area explores how cultural background and social interaction contexts modulate the tolerance for attitudinal ambivalence, its pliability, and the processing of conflicting information within attitudes. It also investigates interpersonal mechanisms, such as high-quality listening, in reducing defensive responses and facilitating constructive ambivalence processing.