Let's say you recently broke up with someone. Or, maybe they broke up with you. In this instance, it doesn't really matter. Because in terms of moving on with your life, what's important is to simply think less of the person you were formerly coupled with.
by Christopher P. Fagundes, a researcher at the University of Utah, involving 65 undergraduates that had recently ended relationships lasting four months or longer, it's all about hating your ex.
"What they found was that people who indicated strong negative feelings about their ex in the immediate aftermath of the breakup were less likely to be depressed. The subjects were re-tested a month later, and those whose feelings had grown more negative also generally felt better."
Fagundes writes: "Given the importance of negative evaluations in post-break-up adjustment, future work should explore whether friends and family members might help people adjust to a recent break-up by drawing attention to the negative aspects of the former relationship."
What's your post-break-up strategy?
[Via Tom Bartlett at The Chronicle of Higher Education]