Our perceptions of others’ emotions, thoughts, and behavior determine how we think, feel and behave toward them. But, our perceptions of others are often biased, which has important consequences for our relationships.
Here are some examples of how our published research:
People who are more depressed tend to underestimate their partner’s commitment and overestimate their partner’s negative behavior, which leads them to feel more insecure and depressed.
People who are high in attachment avoidance and distrust their partner’s intentions, judge their partner’s emotions to be more negative than is warranted, and this triggers more hostile behavior during conflict and daily life.
Men who are scared that women will use men’s relationship needs to manipulate them (are high in hostile sexism) perceive their intimate partner’s behavior to be more negative than is justified, which leads to more aggressive relationship behavior.
Our research illustrates the importance of targeting biased perceptions to counteract the destructive impact depression, attachment avoidance, and sexist attitudes can have on relationships.
Relevant Publications:
Waddell, N., & Overall. N.C. (2023). Bias, accuracy, and assumed similarity in judging intimate partners’ sexist attitudes. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. doi/10.1177/02654075221118546
Chang, V.T., & Overall, N. C. (2022). Biased memories contribute to the links between stress and depressive symptoms. Emotion, 22, 227-243. doi.org/10.1037/emo0001027
Chang, V.T., & Overall, N.C. (2022). Attachment anxiety, tracking accuracy, and biased memory of prior relationship evaluations. Personal Relationships, 29, 262-282. doi.org/10.1111/pere.12417
Hockey, A., Donovan, C., Overall, N.C., & Barlow, F. K. (2022). Body image projection bias in heterosexual romantic relationships: A dyadic investigation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 48(7), 987-1004. doi.org/10.1177/01461672211025202
Cross, E.J., Overall, N.C., Low, R.S.T., & Henderson, A.M.E. (2021). Relationship problems, agreement and bias in perceptions of partners’ parental responsiveness, and family functioning. Journal of Family Psychology, 35(4), 510–522. doi.org/10.1037/fam0000812
Hammond, M.D. & Overall, N.C. (2020). Men’s hostile sexism and biased perceptions of partners’ support: Underestimating dependability rather than overestimating challenges to dominance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46, 1491-1506. doi.org/10.1177/0146167220907475
Overall, N.C., Clark, M.S., Fletcher, G.J.O., Peters, B.J., & Chang, V.T. (2020). Does expressing emotions enhance perceptual accuracy of negative emotions during relationship interactions? Emotion, 20, 353-367. doi.org/10.1037/emo0000653
Peters, B.J., & Overall, N.C. (2020). Perceptions of romantic partners’ emotional suppression are more biased than accurate. Emotion, 20, 1485-1489. doi.org/10.1037/emo0000679
Cross, E.J., Overall, N.C., Low, R.S.T., & McNulty, J.K. (2019). An interdependence account of sexism and power: Men’s hostile sexism, biased perceptions of low power, and relationship aggression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 117, 338-363. doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000167
Chang, V.T., Overall, N.C., Madden. H., & Low, R.S.T. (2018). Expressive suppression tendencies, projection bias in memory of negative emotions and wellbeing. Emotion. doi.org/10.1037/emo0000405
Overall, N.C., Fletcher, G.J.O., Simpson, J.A., & Filo, J. (2015). Attachment insecurity, biased perceptions of romantic partners’ negative emotions, and hostile relationship behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 108(5):730-749. doi.org/10.1037/a0038987 Download PDF
Hammond, M.D., & Overall, N.C. (2013). Men’s hostile sexism and biased perceptions of intimate partners: Fostering dissatisfaction and negative behavior in close relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39, 1585-1599. doi.org/10.1177/0146167213499026 Download PDF
Overall, N.C. & Hammond, M.D. (2013). Biased and accurate: Depressive symptoms and daily perceptions within intimate relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39, 636-650. doi.org/10.1177/0146167213480188 Download PDF
Overall, N.C., Fletcher, G.J.O., & Kenny, D.A. (2012). When bias and insecurity promote accuracy: Mean-level bias and tracking accuracy in couples’ conflict discussions. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38, 642-655. doi.org/10.1177/0146167211432764 Download PDF
Friesen, M.D., Fletcher, G.J.O., & Overall, N.C. (2005). A dyadic assessment of forgiveness in intimate relationships. Personal Relationships, 21, 61-77. doi.org/10.1111/j.1350-4126.2005.00102.x Download PDF