Modernizing Relationship Therapy through Social Thermoregulation Theory: Evidence, Hypotheses, and Explorations

Abstract

In the present article the authors propose to modernize relationship therapy by integrating novel sensor and actuator technologies that can help optimize people’s thermoregulation, especially as they pertain to social contexts. Specifically, they propose to integrate Social Thermoregulation Theory ( IJzerman et al., 2015a ; IJzerman and Hogerzeil, 2017 ) into Emotionally Focused Therapy by first doing exploratory research during couples’ therapy, followed by Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs). The authors thus suggest crafting a Social Thermoregulation Therapy (STT) as enhancement to existing relationship therapies. The authors outline what is known and not known in terms of social thermoregulatory mechanisms, what kind of data collection and analyses are necessary to better understand social thermoregulatory mechanisms to craft interventions, and stress the need to conduct RCTs prior to implementation. They further warn against too hastily applying these theoretical perspectives. The article concludes by outlining why STT is the way forward in improving relationship functioning.

Interactive Effects of Tactile Warmth and Ambient Temperature on the Search for Social Affiliation

“…Indeed, one study provides intriguing evidence that a single session of mild, short-duration hyperthermia reduced depressive symptoms among participants with clinical depression (Janssen et al, 2016). Other researchers have theorized that relationship quality might be enhanced by warm temperatures (IJzerman, Heine, Nagel, & Pronk, 2017). Our work is consistent with such theories, and with evidence that holding the hand of a close relationship partner can reduce threat-related distress (Coan et al, 2017).…”

The Human Penguin Project: Climate, Social Integration, and Core Body Temperature

“…In adults, Wagemans and IJzerman (2014) found that people respond with peripheral temperature increases when seeing their sad partner, arguably to co-regulate their partner. The relationship literature is further replete with suggestions that people physiologically co-regulate in the service of homeostasis, which we have argued to include temperature homeostasis (IJzerman, Heine, et al, 2017). From this perspective, temperature regulation has become implicated in attachment processes, which, in turn, form the basis for how people form predictions about others.…”

The Compassionate Kitbag: A creative and integrative approach to compassion‐focused therapy

“…Over time, the function and meaning associated with the transitional object developed and deepened to provide both safe haven and secure base functions, that is, facilitate soothing but also stimulating the courage to begin to explore. The above example demonstrates how transitional object usage can draw on and integrate ideas from attachment theory (Bowlby, 1988;Feeney & Collins, 2015;Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007), social thermoregulation theory (IJzerman et al, 2015;Ijzerman, Heine, Nagel, & Pronk, 2017), social touch (Maratos et al, 2017;Morrison, 2016;Uvn€ as-Moberg, Handlin, & Petersson, 2015), and huggable communication mediums (Nakanishi, Sumioka, & Ishiguro, 2016;Takahashi et al, 2017). Furthermore, this links back to Harlow's (1958) work with infant monkeys in discovering the importance of soft tactile sensations accompanied by (physical) warmth in imparting the emotional security (i.e., safeness) to explore (Harlow & Suomi, 1970).…”