RESEARCH_FILE
Rebecca T. Pinkus
University of Sydney
Known for:Research separating comparisons to a partner's ex from actual relationship satisfaction, tying the fixation to attachment anxiety instead
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“They loved their ex more than they love me”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“I'm comparing my full self-knowledge against a story I invented about a stranger with no actual evidence.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Write one specific thing your partner did in the last 48 hours that required them to think of you or care about your wellbeing. Look only at action, not tone or speed. This is current evidence—keep it.
Key findings
- 2019
With Hingorani, surveyed 259 people in relationships and found attachment anxiety predicted more frequent and more self-critical comparisons to a partner's ex or an ex's current partner — while relationship satisfaction showed no link to those comparisons. The Ex-Factor: Attachment Anxiety and Social Comparisons Across Romantic Relationships ↗