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Why Do World Beliefs Change How a Partner Looks?

Edward Lemay says people use their beliefs about the world as a lens on a partner. Work on primal world beliefs finds that people differ in how good or bad they think the world is, and in more specific beliefs, including whether the world is safe or enticing. Enticing, in that research, means interesting, beautiful, worth exploring, and full of treasures.

In one study, participants had a recorded conversation with a partner about a problem at work. Coders watched and rated how supportive the partner was. People who saw the world as good, or as enticing, rated that support higher than the coders did, and higher than the partners rated their own behavior. Beliefs about the world shape what someone expects, notices, interprets, and remembers. A more positive view of the world can make the relationship look more positive too.

Transcript

How Love Really Works ·

Hidden Brain

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