• Login
    • Submit
    View Item 
    •   Repository Home
    • UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    • Repository Home
    • UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    The positive side of hurtful communication : when hurt feelings improve close relationships

    Icon
    View/Open
    SUN-DISSERTATION-2017.pdf (1.731Mb)
    Author
    Sun, Mao-Chia
    0000-0003-4811-2848
    Share
     Facebook
     Twitter
     LinkedIn
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    The adaptive effects of hurtful communication have rarely been observed in the hurt literature. This could be due to one or more of three limitations in the literature: an emphasis on major rather than minor hurtful interactions, a focus more on negative behavior than positive, or a recall of personal biases caused by situation-specific beliefs when examining the effects of hurt feelings. Given that research suggests that negative emotions can have a positive influence on relational outcomes, this dissertation investigated whether hurt feelings function to maintain and/or repair close relationships by addressing the aforementioned limitations. Building on Bradbury and Fincham’s (1987, 1988, 1991) contextual model, this dissertation examined the effects of both proximal and distal context factors on prosocial communication and relationship outcomes following major and minor hurtful interactions. A community sample of people involved in romantic relationships (N = 513) completed a set of questionnaires regarding hurtful communication. Overall, the results indicated that as opposed to message intensity and perceived intentionality, hurt intensity and communal strength positively predicted constructive communication and positive relationship outcomes; these associations were also mediated by constructive communication. Communal strength emerged as a stronger predictor of positive outcomes of hurt than did hurt intensity. Further, this study revealed the moderating effects of hurt on the link between the aforementioned factors and positive outcomes for behavior and relationships. In conclusion, the adaptive effects of hurtful communication were more pronounced in minor hurtful events than in major ones.
    Department
    Communication Studies
    Subject
    Emotional pain
    Adaptive functions
    Prosocial behavior
    Romantic relationships
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/2152/63637
    Collections
    • UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    University of Texas at Austin Libraries
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • instagram
    • youtube
    • CONTACT US
    • MAPS & DIRECTIONS
    • JOB OPPORTUNITIES
    • UT Austin Home
    • Emergency Information
    • Site Policies
    • Web Accessibility Policy
    • Web Privacy Policy
    • Adobe Reader
    Subscribe to our NewsletterGive to the Libraries

    © The University of Texas at Austin

    Browse

    Entire RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsDate IssuedAuthorsTitlesSubjectsDepartmentThis CollectionDate IssuedAuthorsTitlesSubjectsDepartment

    My Account

    Login

    Information

    AboutContactPoliciesGetting StartedGlossaryHelpFAQs

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics
    University of Texas at Austin Libraries
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • instagram
    • youtube
    • CONTACT US
    • MAPS & DIRECTIONS
    • JOB OPPORTUNITIES
    • UT Austin Home
    • Emergency Information
    • Site Policies
    • Web Accessibility Policy
    • Web Privacy Policy
    • Adobe Reader
    Subscribe to our NewsletterGive to the Libraries

    © The University of Texas at Austin