Vivian Zayas and Yuichi Shoda, Author at Social Science Space

Vivian Zayas and Yuichi Shoda

Vivian Zayas (pictured): I am an associate professor of psychology at Cornell University. At the broadest level, I’m interested in the “relational mind.” How do we mentally represent the emotional complexity of our closest relationships? Why are we drawn towards some people and not others? How do we make inferences about our social standing from complex and dynamic social interactions? How do we regulate threats to our self-esteem? Yuichi Shoda: I am a professor of psychology at the University of Washington.

Think You Love Your Valentine? Psychology Says Things May Be Complicated

Valentine cards are filled with expressions of unequivocal adoration and appreciation. That’s fitting for the holiday set aside to express love and reaffirm commitment to one’s romantic partner.

But what if there’s more going on below the surface of these adoring declarations? How might thoughts and feelings that people are not even aware of shape their romantic relationships?