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(https://www.psypost.org/emotional-reactivity-associated-with-better-outcomes-for-new-romantic-couples/) Emotional reactivity associated with better outcomes for new romantic couples
Feb 12th 2025, 08:00

Individuals who exhibit greater emotional reactivity to their romantic partner’s daily stressors experience higher relationship quality—particularly in new relationships. This research was published in the (https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000509) Journal of Personality & Social Psychology.
Affective reactivity, or how much a person’s negative emotions increase in response to stress, has traditionally been studied as a personal phenomenon, that is, how people react to their own stressors. Prior research has linked heightened affective reactivity to negative mental and physical health outcomes, including increased risk for psychological distress and relationship dissatisfaction.
Emre Selçuk and colleagues expand this line of research by introducing a novel perspective: affective reactivity not as a personal trait, but as an interpersonal dynamic within couples. They propose that when individuals show heightened emotional responses to their partner’s stress, this can actually serve as a signal of emotional investment, fostering relationship quality.
The researchers conducted four longitudinal dyadic studies involving couples at different relationship stages. Studies 1 and 2 focused on fledgling couples—those in the initial months of their romantic relationship—while Studies 3 and 4 examined more established relationships, specifically newlyweds. Across all studies, participants provided repeated assessments of their emotional states, exposure to stressors, and relationship satisfaction over varying time periods, allowing the researchers to capture both short-term fluctuations and long-term trajectories in relationship dynamics.
In Studies 1 and 2, fledgling couples were recruited from university campuses in Turkey and asked to complete diary entries at different intervals. Study 1 involved 152 couples who completed weekly reports over an eight-week period, while Study 2 followed 144 couples who completed daily diaries for 21 days, with additional follow-ups every three months for a year. In both studies, participants reported their partner’s stress exposure, their own negative emotional responses to that stress, and their perceptions of their partner’s responsiveness. Relationship quality was assessed through measures of satisfaction and commitment.
Studies 3 and 4 extended the investigation to newlywed couples, examining whether the same patterns held in more established relationships. Study 3 involved 164 newlyweds who had been married for less than six months and had been together for an average of nearly four years. These couples participated in a 21-day daily diary study, followed by monthly relationship assessments for eight months. Study 4 followed a larger sample of 208 newlyweds over five assessment waves spaced three months apart. As in Studies 1 and 2, participants tracked daily stressors, emotional reactivity, perceived partner responsiveness, and overall relationship quality.
Across all four studies, the researchers controlled for individuals’ reactivity to their own stress, to ensure that the observed effects were specific to emotional responses triggered by their partner’s difficulties rather than their general tendency to experience distress.
Results revealed a compelling distinction between fledgling and established relationships. In Studies 1 and 2, individuals who exhibited greater emotional reactivity to their partner’s stress reported higher relationship quality. This association was mediated by perceived partner responsiveness; partners who responded emotionally to their significant other’s stress were seen as more understanding, validating, and supportive, which in turn contributed to higher satisfaction and commitment.
Furthermore, in Study 1, individuals whose partners showed high affective reactivity were buffered against declines in relationship quality over the eight-week period. Similarly, in Study 2, the benefits of partner reactivity extended over a longer time frame, with greater emotional reactivity predicting better relationship quality even a year later.
In Studies 3 and 4, which focused on newlyweds, affective reactivity to a partner’s stress did not predict relationship quality in the same way. Unlike in fledgling relationships, where emotional responsiveness appeared to strengthen relational bonds, established couples showed no significant associations between reactivity to partner stress and satisfaction levels.
Moreover, in these longer-term relationships, emotional reactivity did not buffer against declines in relationship quality over time. This suggests that while heightened emotional responsiveness to a partner’s stress may serve as a meaningful signal of investment and care in the early stages of a relationship, it becomes less relevant as relationships mature and partners develop a more stable sense of their bond.
Overall, these studies highlight the evolving nature of emotional dynamics in romantic partnerships, emphasizing that what fosters closeness in new relationships may not necessarily sustain it in the long term.
Of note is that findings may not generalize to other cultural contexts.
The research, “(https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000509) My Partner Really Gets Me: Affective Reactivity to Partner Stress Predicts Greater Relationship Quality in New Couples,” was authored by Emre Selçuk, Gul Gunaydin, Esra Ascigil, Deniz Bayraktaroglu, and Anthony D. Ong.

(https://www.psypost.org/study-people-show-verbal-hesitation-towards-left-wing-political-terms/) Study: People show verbal hesitation towards left-wing political terms
Feb 12th 2025, 06:00

A recent study published in the journal (https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2024.2434148) Cognition and Emotion has found that individuals in Israel may exhibit an unconscious aversion to left-wing political concepts. The research found that people took longer to verbally respond to words associated with the political left, suggesting a rapid, automatic rejection of this ideology. This effect was observed even when participants were simply asked to identify the location of these words on a screen, indicating that the aversion might operate at a basic cognitive level.
The researchers were motivated by observations of the increasing negativity and vilification directed towards the political left, particularly in contexts like Israel where right-wing political movements have gained prominence. They noticed a trend where aversion to the left seemed to be more than just reasoned disagreement, potentially resembling an automatic, reflexive rejection. Specifically in Israel, the term “leftist” is often used as an insult, and there have been public campaigns that negatively portray left-wing organizations.
This led the researchers to hypothesize that, in the Israeli political climate, the term “left” and related concepts might have become akin to taboo words – terms so negatively charged that they trigger an automatic avoidance response. They wanted to investigate if this perceived revulsion was not just a conscious political stance, but something deeper, operating at an implicit, possibly unconscious level.
“We were particularly interested in understanding the role of political metaphors in spatial processing. Historically, the terms ‘left’ and ‘right’ became associated with liberal and conservative political ideologies. Given this association, we wanted to explore whether it influences how individuals process spatial information,” said study author Heather A. Kumove, a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
To investigate this, the researchers employed a variation of a classic psychological test known as the Stroop task. However, instead of using colors, they used spatial locations. Participants were presented with words on either the left or right side of a computer screen and were instructed to verbally state the location of the word (“left” or “right”) as quickly as possible.
In the first study, 85 participants were presented with words that were politically charged, categorized as either left-wing or right-wing in the Israeli context. These words included names of politicians, political parties, and common political terms. The words appeared either on the side of the screen that matched their political association (for example, a left-wing word on the left side – a congruent condition) or on the opposite side (an incongruent condition). The researchers measured how long it took participants to verbally say “left” or “right” in response to each word. The participants were Jewish Israeli students from a university in central Israel, fluent in Hebrew. They also completed questionnaires about their own political views, rating themselves on a scale from very left-wing to very right-wing.
The second study, involving 128 participants with similar characteristics, aimed to strengthen the idea that the observed effects were specifically related to political associations, not just spatial locations. This time, the researchers used the Hebrew words for “left” and “right” themselves as the stimuli in the spatial Stroop task. Before the task, some participants were given a “political prime” to make political thoughts more prominent. This prime involved showing pictures of well-known Israeli politicians, either leaning to the left or right, and asking participants to judge the direction they were leaning. Other participants, in a control condition, were shown pictures of research assistants leaning left or right. The researchers then measured verbal response times in the spatial Stroop task, expecting that if political awareness was heightened, any aversion to “left” would be more pronounced.
In addition to these main studies, the researchers conducted two smaller auxiliary studies to rule out alternative explanations. One study explored whether the sounds of the Hebrew words for “left” and “right” might be responsible for any differences in response times, rather than the meaning. Participants were asked to verbally classify unfamiliar shapes using made-up words that sounded similar to “left” and “right” in Hebrew but had no political meaning.
Another auxiliary study checked if there was a general preference for responding to stimuli on one side of the screen over the other, which could also influence the results, especially given that Hebrew is read from right to left. Participants were asked to identify the location of neutral words on the left or right side of the screen by saying “one” or “two,” associated with the left and right locations.
The results of the first study revealed that participants were indeed slower to respond to left-wing words compared to right-wing words. They were also slower to verbally say “left” when a word appeared on the left side of the screen. Interestingly, this slowness in saying “left” was more noticeable among participants who identified as politically center-right. Contrary to expectations based on typical spatial Stroop effects, there was no “congruency effect,” meaning that responses were not generally faster when the word’s political orientation matched its spatial location.
The second study confirmed and expanded on these findings. It replicated the slowdown in verbal responses for “left” locations. Importantly, the political priming manipulation amplified this effect. Participants who were primed with political images showed an even greater slowdown when responding “left” compared to those in the control group. This suggests that making political concepts more salient increased the aversion to “left.” In this study, the typical congruency effect of spatial Stroop tasks was observed: responses were faster when the word “left” or “right” was presented on the corresponding side of the screen. However, even with this congruency effect, the slowdown for “left” responses was still evident and stronger under political priming.
The auxiliary studies helped eliminate other possible explanations for the main findings. The study using made-up words with similar sounds to “left” and “right” showed no difference in response times, suggesting that the phonetic properties of the words were not the cause of the slowdown. Similarly, the study investigating spatial preferences found no general bias towards responding faster to one side of the screen, indicating that spatial preference was not driving the results.
“We were particularly surprised by the extent to which responses to the word ‘left’ were slowed, resembling reactions to taboo or unpleasant words,” Kumove told PsyPost. “Further, our subsequent tests suggested that this effect may indicate a bias that operates at an automatic, cognitive level rather than being solely a product of conscious political attitudes. Moreover, this bias may not only impact political attitudes but may further extend to how people engage with the spatial world around them. This highlights the deep integration of political ideology into fundamental cognitive processes, which was more robust than we initially anticipated.”
Overall, the study provides evidence that, in the Israeli context, there may be an automatic, negative reaction to left-wing political terms. This reaction manifests as a hesitation in verbal responses, even in a simple task requiring spatial judgments.
“Our studies suggested that internalized political biases can extend beyond opinions and may potentially influence how people process spatial information,” Kumove explained. “Our findings highlight how ideology can shape cognitive processing, potentially reinforcing biases which exist in a given society, as was the case in the Israeli context.”
The researchers noted that their study used a specific method – the spatial Stroop task – and further research is needed to confirm these findings using different approaches. Future studies could explore whether this effect is specific to the Israeli political context or if it exists in other societies with different political dynamics.
“Given that we only were able to test this in a heavily skewed political climate, where there is a clear political minority, it would be important to test this relationship in countries with more political parity, such as the United States,” Kumove said.
The research team also hopes to explore whether these automatic reactions to political language are connected to deeper political opinions and behaviors.
“This research suggests the deep rooted reactions to political terms and how they can be imbued with a ‘taboo’ meaning,” Kumove said. “In the future, we would wish to see if these reactions relate to political views on the issues and to the fact that these views can be marked with a clear political mark (i.e., ‘left’ or ‘right’).”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2024.2434148) Left out and vilified: Do the effects of political metaphors on spatial orientation judgments indicate a taboo effect?,” was authored by Heather Ashley Kumove, Gilad Hirschberger, and Boaz M. Ben-David.

(https://www.psypost.org/middle-aged-men-use-more-dating-apps-and-for-longer-than-women/) Middle-aged men use more dating apps, and for longer, than women
Feb 11th 2025, 16:00

A study of middle-aged heterosexual dating app users revealed that men use a higher number of dating apps than women. They have also used them for a longer duration, to a greater extent for casual sex, and for more time per day compared to women. The paper was published in the (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100505) International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology.
Dating apps are online platforms that help people meet potential romantic partners by matching users based on their preferences, location, and interests. They typically use algorithms to suggest compatible profiles, allowing users to interact through messaging or video calls. Dating apps have transformed modern relationships by making it easier to meet new people in a digital-first world.
Some apps, such as Tinder and Bumble, use a swiping mechanism to indicate interest, while others, like Hinge, encourage meaningful conversations through profile prompts. OkCupid and eHarmony use personality-based questionnaires to find better matches for serious relationships. Other platforms offer curated matches instead of endless swiping.
Study author Adriana Jimenez-Muro and her colleagues aimed to analyze dating app usage in middle-aged people, particularly focusing on differences between heterosexual men and women.
Study participants included 298 individuals between 25 and 50 years of age, recruited by the data collection company Netquest. Their average age was 38 years, and 51% were women. Participants were required to be current dating app users, meaning they had used a dating app in the three months prior to participating in the study.
Study participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and a questionnaire about dating app usage. The dating app questionnaire asked participants to indicate which dating apps they were using, how frequently, their average connection time, and their main motives for use. It also asked about the outcomes of using these apps, specifically with how many people they had a face-to-face encounter, sexual intercourse, a romantic relationship, or a friendship after meeting on dating apps.
Results showed that men use a greater number of dating apps than women. They also had a longer app usage history, with longer daily use and a longer overall history of usage. Men used dating apps more than women to seek casual sex.
“Knowing middle-aged people’s dating app usage profiles and the differences between men and women will have relevant implications when designing and implementing preventive strategies and promoting these apps’ recreational and responsible use from a gender perspective,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the dating app usage patterns of middle-aged individuals. However, it should be noted that the dating app usage questionnaire was an ad hoc instrument created by the authors specifically for this study and has not been validated. There is a possibility that different question formulations could have yielded somewhat different results.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100505) Dating app users: Differences between middle-aged men and women,” was authored by Adriana Jimenez-Muro, Pedro J. Ramos-Villagrasa, and Angel Castro.

(https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-use-linked-to-reduced-distress-increased-social-engagement-in-autistic-adults/) Psychedelic use linked to reduced distress, increased social engagement in autistic adults
Feb 11th 2025, 14:00

A recent study has found that some autistic adults report lasting improvements in their mental health and social lives after using psychedelic drugs. The research, published in the journal (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-024-06685-8) Psychopharmacology, revealed that a significant number of autistic individuals attributed reductions in distress and social anxiety, along with increased social engagement, to a single, impactful psychedelic experience. However, the study also highlighted that a minority of participants experienced negative effects, emphasizing the need for caution and further research in this area.
There is a growing interest in the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat various mental health conditions, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, in the general population. Autism spectrum disorder, a developmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive behaviors, often co-occurs with mental health difficulties. Autistic individuals are known to experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and often report a lower quality of life compared to non-autistic people.
While psychedelics are being explored as therapies for mental health in broader populations, there is very little scientific understanding of how these substances affect autistic individuals specifically. Some anecdotal accounts suggested that psychedelics might be helpful for autistic people, potentially by improving their understanding of themselves and their emotions, but rigorous research was lacking. The new study aimed to investigate the experiences of autistic adults who have used psychedelics and to understand if they perceived any changes in their mental health and social abilities as a result.
To conduct their investigation, the researchers used an online survey to gather information from adults who identified as autistic. Participants were recruited through advertisements on social media platforms, online forums related to psychedelics and autism, and by collaborating with an organization called the Autistic Psychedelic Community. The advertisements were carefully worded to encourage participation from individuals with both positive and negative psychedelic experiences. To be included in the study, participants had to be at least 18 years old, fluent in English, and either have a formal diagnosis of autism from a healthcare professional or self-identify as autistic. They also needed to have used a psychedelic substance at least once in their lives.
A total of 284 people completed the survey. For their analysis, the researchers focused on 233 participants who reported that their most ‘impactful’ psychedelic experience involved a classic psychedelic drug, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms). The other participants who were excluded from the main analysis had reported that their most impactful experience was with substances like MDMA, cannabis, or ketamine.
The survey asked participants to think about their single “most impactful” psychedelic experience and to answer questions about the effects of that experience. They were asked to rate how impactful this experience was compared to other events in their lives, using a scale from ‘no more than routine experiences’ to ‘the single most impactful experience of my life’. Participants then completed a series of questionnaires that were adapted to assess perceived changes in different areas of their lives since that impactful psychedelic experience.
To understand the nature of the psychedelic experience itself, participants completed questionnaires about their subjective experiences during the drug’s effects. This included the Mystical Experience Questionnaire, which measures feelings of unity, sacredness, and transcendence, and the Challenging Experience Questionnaire, which assesses difficult emotions and sensations like fear, grief, and paranoia that can occur during a psychedelic experience.
To assess perceived changes, the researchers adapted several well-established psychological questionnaires. For example, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, which usually asks about symptoms in the past week, was modified to ask about long-term changes believed to be caused by the psychedelic experience. The response scale was also changed to range from ‘decreased very much’ to ‘increased very much’, allowing participants to report both positive and negative changes.
Other areas assessed included social anxiety (using the Social Phobia Inventory), psychological flexibility (using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II, where a decrease indicates increased flexibility), and autism-related traits (using the Autism Quotient Short). Changes in social connection and engagement were measured using the Social Connectedness Scale and the Lubben Social Network Scale, respectively. Loneliness and satisfaction with relationships and sex life were also assessed.
The study found that a large majority of participants considered their chosen psychedelic experience to be among the most impactful experiences of their lives. When looking at the perceived changes, the researchers found that most participants reported improvements in several areas. A significant percentage, over 80%, believed their most impactful psychedelic experience led to a reduction in general psychological distress.
Similarly, around 78% reported a decrease in social anxiety, and 70% felt an increase in their social engagement. Participants also reported feeling more psychologically flexible, meaning they felt more able to accept and cope with difficult thoughts and feelings. Interestingly, a majority also reported a decrease in traits typically associated with autism, as measured by the Autism Quotient Short, and a decrease in feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, many participants reported increased satisfaction with their relationships and their sex lives.
However, the study also revealed that not all experiences were positive. A notable minority, about 20% of participants, reported undesirable effects, including increases in anxiety. Some of these individuals described their psychedelic experience as one of the most negatively impactful events in their lives.
To understand what factors might be linked to these changes, the researchers conducted statistical analyses. They found that the most significant factor predicting a reduction in psychological distress was an increase in psychological flexibility. In other words, participants who became more psychologically flexible after their psychedelic experience were more likely to report feeling less distressed overall. While the intensity of the mystical aspects of the psychedelic experience was weakly associated with reduced distress, it was not as strong a predictor as psychological flexibility.
Surprisingly, the intensity of challenging experiences during the psychedelic episode was not found to be a significant predictor of changes in mental health or social engagement, although those who reported increased distress did report experiencing more challenging experiences on average.
The researchers acknowledged several limitations to their study. Because participants were recruited through online forums and social media, particularly those related to psychedelics, the sample may not be representative of all autistic adults who use psychedelics. It is possible that people with positive experiences were more likely to participate, potentially overestimating the benefits. Additionally, the study relied on participants’ memories of past experiences and their perceptions of change, which can be influenced by memory biases. The questionnaires used were also modified to assess perceived change, and while they showed good internal consistency in this study, their validity in this adapted format hasn’t been fully established. Finally, the study design was cross-sectional, meaning it captured data at one point in time, and therefore cannot prove that psychedelics directly caused the reported changes.
Despite these limitations, the researchers concluded that their findings suggest that some autistic adults perceive lasting benefits in mental health and social functioning from psychedelic experiences. These results justify further research, specifically controlled clinical trials, to explore the potential of psychedelic interventions for autistic people. Future studies should assess both potential benefits and risks, paying particular attention to safety and ethical considerations.
The researchers emphasized the importance of involving the autistic community in future research and focusing on improving wellbeing and understanding, rather than aiming to “cure” autism. They also recommended that future research should investigate why some individuals experience negative effects, and how to minimize these risks in potential therapeutic settings.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-024-06685-8) Perceived changes in mental health and social engagement attributed to a single psychedelic experience in autistic adults: results from an online survey,” was authored by Jack Stroud, Charlotte Rice, Aaron Orsini, Marco Schlosser, Justine Lee, Will Mandy, and Sunjeev K. Kamboj.

(https://www.psypost.org/the-trajectory-of-love-study-reveals-how-relationship-satisfaction-changes-over-time/) The trajectory of love: Study reveals how relationship satisfaction changes over time
Feb 11th 2025, 12:00

According to a study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000492) Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, relationship satisfaction declines more sharply in relationships that eventually dissolve compared to those that continue, and individuals tend to report higher satisfaction when entering a new relationship, though satisfaction declines over time in both new and previous relationships.
Romantic relationships are fundamental to (https://www.psypost.org/study-finds-people-in-relationships-tend-to-be-happier-than-singles/) well-being. Most studies have focused on younger adults and short-term relationships, leaving a gap in understanding how satisfaction changes across the full life course, particularly in long-term relationships or those that transition into new partnerships.
Janina Larissa Bühler and Ulrich Orth analyzed data from the Longitudinal Study of Generations, which included 2,268 participants aged 16-90 years, assessed up to seven times over 20 years. Participants reported their relationship status at each wave of data collection, which enabled the researchers to classify them into three primary groups: those in long-term continuing relationships, those in relationships that eventually dissolved, and those who repartnered after a breakup.
Participants completed the 10-item Gilford-Bengtson Marital Satisfaction Scale, which measures both positive and negative aspects of romantic relationships. The scale captures key dimensions of relationship quality, including frequency of positive interactions, disagreements, and overall contentment with the partnership. Additional variables such as age, gender, presence of children, and relationship duration were examined to identify moderating factors influencing satisfaction trends.
Relationship satisfaction followed distinct trajectories depending on whether a relationship endured, dissolved, or was followed by a new partnership.
In relationships that remained intact, satisfaction tended to decline modestly over time but remained relatively stable overall. In contrast, relationships that ultimately ended showed significantly lower levels of satisfaction from the outset and exhibited a sharper decline over time. Notably, couples with children experienced steeper declines in satisfaction, and those in shorter relationships that ended reported particularly pronounced drops in contentment.
For individuals who entered a new relationship following a breakup, relationship satisfaction rebounded initially, with participants reporting significantly higher satisfaction at the beginning of a new relationship compared to the start of their previous one. However, despite this initial boost, satisfaction once again declined as the relationship progressed, mirroring the pattern observed in earlier partnerships. This suggests that while new relationships may offer temporary improvements in happiness, they are still subject to the same long-term declines that characterize romantic relationships more broadly.
Additionally, individuals who moved into a new relationship quickly after a breakup reported lower overall satisfaction compared to those who took more time before repartnering, indicating that a shorter transition period may not necessarily lead to a more fulfilling romantic experience.
This study relied on self-reported relationship satisfaction, which may be influenced by retrospective bias. Additionally, the sample primarily consisted of White, middle-class families, potentially limiting generalizability to more diverse populations.
The research, “(https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000492) How Relationship Satisfaction Changes Within and Across Romantic Relationships: Evidence >From a Large Longitudinal Study,” was authored by Janina Larissa Bühler and Ulrich Orth.

(https://www.psypost.org/cat-attachment-style-impacts-behavior-and-hormone-levels-study-finds/) Cat attachment style impacts behavior and hormone levels, study finds
Feb 11th 2025, 10:00

Cats, like dogs and even human babies, can develop different kinds of emotional attachments to their owners, and these attachments have a noticeable impact on their lives, according to new research published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016815912500022X) Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Scientists have discovered that a cat’s attachment style—categorized as secure, anxious, or avoidant—is linked to how they behave around their owners, how likely they are to exhibit problem behaviors, and even fluctuations in their levels of oxytocin, a hormone often associated with social bonding.
Cats are incredibly popular pets, with their numbers growing rapidly in many parts of the world. A good relationship between a cat and its owner is beneficial for both, contributing to their physical and mental well-being. Sadly, many cats are given up to shelters because of behavioral issues, with aggression toward humans being a major reason. Researchers are, therefore, interested in finding ways that help cats display healthy behavior and that help develop harmonious relationships between cats and humans.
Recent research has shown that cats are more socially intelligent than previously thought. They can understand human emotions and cues, and even recognize their owners’ voices. This suggests that the way owners interact with their cats could have a big impact on the cat’s behavior. Some studies have found links between owner characteristics (like their personality and how they interact with their pet) and behavioral problems in both cats and dogs. For example, stressful interactions can make cats more aggressive. Thus, the research team that conducted this study wanted to explore the connection between how cats and owners interact, how cats form attachments to their owners, and the role of a hormone called oxytocin.
Oxytocin might play a role in forming emotional connections between owners and pets and could be responsible for some of the mental and physical benefits that come from these relationships. Studies in dogs and their owners have shown a positive feedback loop involving friendly interactions and oxytocin release. Positive interactions, like gazing at each other, gentle touch, and petting, can trigger the release of oxytocin in both dogs and owners, which in turn encourages more positive interactions and further oxytocin release. However, we know very little about oxytocin release during interactions between cats and their owners.
“I have been working in the field of cat behavior and welfare for a while. One of my research interests focuses on how the human–cat relationship impacts cat behavior and the development of problematic behaviors,” said study author Lingna Zhang of South China Agricultural University.
“Recent research has shown that cat–owner attachment shares similarities with dog–owner and child–parent relationships, and attachment style impacts behavioral health in human and dog relationships, which has not been studied in cats. This inspired me to explore the relationship of cat attachment style, cat–owner interaction, and cat problematic behaviors. We also included oxytocin because this is the key hormone involved in bonding and social interactions.”
For their study, the researchers recruited 30 pet cats from Guangzhou, China, through social media. The cats included both males and females of various breeds, and their ages ranged from one to approximately three years old. To be included in the study, cats had to be at least one year old and have lived with their current owners for at least four months, ensuring they had enough time to form a stable attachment.
The research team first used a test known as the secure base test to assess the cats’ attachment style. In this test, the cat and its owner spent two minutes together in an unfamiliar room, followed by a two-minute period during which the owner left the room, and finally, another two-minute period when the owner returned. High-resolution cameras recorded the cats’ behavior throughout the test. The researchers observed whether the cats sought comfort from their owners upon reunion, how they explored the room, and whether they displayed any avoidance. Based on these behaviors, each cat was categorized as having a secure attachment style, an anxious style, or an avoidant style.
After the secure base test, the study moved to a more natural setting in the owners’ homes. In a familiar room where the cat usually spends time with its owner, the owners were asked to interact with their cats as they normally would for 15 minutes while being recorded by a camera. During these home sessions, the research team focused on a range of behaviors. They observed whether the cat moved toward the owner on its own, whether the cat hovered near the owner without making direct contact, and whether the owner forced interactions by holding or restraining the cat. The interactions were carefully recorded so that specific behaviors could be later analyzed for duration and frequency.
In addition to these observations, the researchers collected saliva samples from each cat twice—once 30 minutes before the home interaction and again five minutes after the session ended. These samples were used to measure the levels of oxytocin, a hormone known to be involved in social bonding and stress reduction.
Zhang and her colleagues found clear differences among cats with different attachment styles. About one-third of the cats were classified as securely attached, another one-third showed an anxious style, and the remaining cats displayed an avoidant style. Securely attached cats were observed to initiate interactions more frequently with their owners and made fewer escape attempts when the owner tried to engage them in physical contact. In contrast, cats with an anxious style sought constant proximity but sometimes became overwhelmed if the owner tried to hold them, while those with an avoidant style spent more time moving away or avoiding the owner altogether.
Interestingly, the level of oxytocin measured in the cats’ saliva reflected these behavioral differences. Securely attached cats started with lower baseline oxytocin levels but showed a significant increase after interacting with their owners. Cats with an anxious style, on the other hand, had higher baseline levels and tended to show a decrease after interaction, and avoidant cats did not show a significant change in their hormone levels.
The study also uncovered links between the cats’ social behaviors during free interaction and their overall well-being. Securely attached cats not only engaged more positively with their owners but also exhibited fewer problematic behaviors such as destructive actions or aggressive responses when meeting strangers. In addition, the amount of time a cat spent near its owner was positively linked to the rise in oxytocin levels during the interaction.
In other words, the more a cat chose to stay close to its owner, the more likely it was to experience a boost in the hormone that supports relaxation and bonding. Conversely, interactions that were characterized by forced contact from the owner or escape attempts by the cat were associated with lower levels of positive social behavior and a higher fear response when faced with unfamiliar people.
The researchers noted some limitations to their study. The secure base test, while adapted for cats, is not as widely validated for cats as it is for dogs and humans, so the findings related to attachment style should be interpreted cautiously. The sample size of 30 cats is also relatively small. Additionally, the participants were mostly young cat owners without children, which might limit how broadly the results can be applied to all cat owners.
Future research could explore these relationships in larger and more diverse groups of cats and owners. Further validation of the secure base test in cats would also be beneficial. It would be interesting to investigate what specific owner characteristics might influence a cat’s attachment style and interaction patterns. Finally, more research is needed to understand exactly which behaviors during owner–cat interaction are most effective in triggering oxytocin release in cats and why baseline oxytocin levels differ between attachment styles.
“In the future, we want to study how the human–cat interaction pattern impacts cat attachment style and oxytocin release in more controlled settings and explore the potential of appropriate human–cat interaction and the application of nasal oxytocin in promoting secure attachment and behavioral health in pet cats,” Zhang said.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106524) The effects of owner–cat interaction on oxytocin secretion in pet cats with different attachment styles,” was authored by Hao Chang, Jie Zhang, Haitao Huang, Edgar O. Aviles-Rosa, Huiwen Huang, Yan Guo, Zaili Xiao, Qingshen Liu, Baichuan Deng, and Lingna Zhang.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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