The article's main point is to explain how hyperawareness developed in combat can affect veterans' interpretation of subtle social cues in romantic interactions. To do this, it will discuss three related concepts: hyperawareness, sensory integration, and emotional regulation. The article will also provide examples from psychological research on these topics to support its argument.
It will consider some practical implications for mental health professionals working with veterans and their partners, including how they might help couples manage potential conflicts that may arise due to different interpretations of nonverbal communication.
Hyperawareness refers to an increased ability to notice details around oneself, which often occurs during stressful situations such as combat. In combat, soldiers must be attuned to every sound, movement, and visual detail in order to stay alive. This heightened awareness can carry over into civilian life, where veterans may find themselves more sensitive to subtle cues in their environment than those who have never been in combat.
Someone who has experienced combat may feel uncomfortable if a partner touches them lightly or moves too quickly, because they are used to being hyperaware of dangerous movements in enemy territory.
Sensory integration involves processing multiple types of sensory information at once, such as hearing and seeing at the same time. It is closely linked to hyperawareness, as hyperawareness requires a person to integrate many sensory inputs simultaneously. Veterans who have experienced combat may find it difficult to ignore distracting stimuli in their environment, which can make it harder to focus on social cues like body language and facial expressions in romantic interactions. They may also become easily startled by unexpected sounds or movements, leading to misunderstandings in communication.
Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage one's own emotions and responses to stressful situations. During combat, soldiers must learn to control their emotions in order to survive, which can lead to difficulties with emotional expression in civilian life. This can manifest as difficulties recognizing or communicating emotions, such as when a partner tries to express affection but the veteran misinterprets that gesture. As a result, veterans may struggle to connect emotionally with partners, leading to conflict in relationships.
Psychological research supports these ideas by studying how people process nonverbal communication.
One study found that veterans who had experienced combat were more likely to interpret ambiguous facial expressions as negative than those who had not been in combat (Sandstrom et al., 2018). Another study found that veterans were less able to distinguish between different emotions expressed through voice inflection than civilians (Shur-Fen Gau et al., 2017). These studies suggest that veterans may be especially vulnerable to misinterpretation of subtle cues in romantic interactions due to hyperawareness developed during combat.
Mental health professionals working with veterans and their partners should take this into account when helping couples communicate effectively. They can help veterans recognize and process nonverbal cues, such as by teaching them to slow down and pay attention to context before responding. They can also teach partners how to communicate clearly and directly about their needs, rather than relying on nonverbal cues that veterans may find difficult to read. By doing so, they can help build stronger, more satisfying relationships for both parties involved.
How does hyperawareness developed in combat influence veterans' interpretation of subtle social cues in romantic interactions?
Hypervigilance is an adaptive response that can help soldiers survive dangerous situations on the battlefield. This heightened state of arousal may persist after returning home from war and negatively impact social relationships with others who lack similar levels of vigilance (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004).