What is an ambivalent person? (2023)

What is a ambivalent person?

The prefix ambi- means "both," and the -valent and -valence parts ultimately derive from the Latin verb valēre, meaning "to be strong." Not surprisingly, an ambivalent person is someone who has strong feelings on more than one side of a question or issue.

People often simultaneously hold negative and positive evaluations of an attitude object. For example, one might enjoy the sensation of smoking and at the same time realize that tobacco is a danger to health.

It is wanting to do two different things or feeling two opposing ways. For example, you may feel ambivalent about going out on Friday night. Although on one hand it would be fun to hang out with your friends, on the other hand it would be nice to save money by staying in and resting.

Definition of ambivalence

1 : simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (such as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action felt ambivalence toward his powerful father ambivalence toward marriage. 2a : continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite)

the extent to which the evaluative responses associated with an attitude are inconsistent with one another. If the responses are uniformly positive or uniformly negative, ambivalence is low. If both positive and negative responses are associated with the attitude, ambivalence is high.

A person with an ambivalent attachment style is constantly looking for proof of love and affection. They are distrustful of others and seek to verify the relationship, often with extreme behaviors that can backfire and alienate the other person.

Ambivalence will emerge when two (or more) goals valued by an individual are in conflict regarding the same attitudinal object. The individual becomes ambivalent about the object to which they both reference, not as much when regarding the individual goals themselves.

To be ambivalent (adjective) about something means that one has “mixed or confusing feelings” about it. Being truly ambivalent is neither a negative nor positive feeling; a person who is experiencing ambivalence is likely to be utterly neutral.

However, ambivalence, in this case, was a personality trait, and we know these to be relatively stable. This means that it is very likely that the trait influenced the judgment and not vice versa,” Schneider explained.

Ambivalence is not only healthy, but also a clear indication of the level of our self-worth and the barometer of our level of self-confidence. Most people see ambivalence as a bad thing because they allow it to confuse them, or they most probably confuse it for ambiguity.

What is a good synonym for ambivalence?

Ambivalence definition

The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea.

Ambivalence, which essentially means having conflicting feelings about something, makes many people uncomfortable. But it is a normal part of change, experts say.

Emotional ambivalence is the simultaneous experience of positive and negative emotions about something. It's what we think of as being “torn.”

Emotional ambivalence is a particularly complex emotion characterized by tension and conflict that is felt when someone experiences both positive and negative emotions simultaneously.

You're also not using the word ambivalent with its established meaning. Being ambivalent doesn't mean you don't care, it means you have contradictory or mixed feelings about it.

What stage is ambivalence?

Ambivalence is a normal and expected part of long term change. It typically shows up in the “contemplation” stage of change, where you have recognized a behavior you wish to change, recognized that this behavior is a problem for you, but are fearful or even feel “stuck” as to how to change it.

Ambivalence occurs in intimate relationships when there is a coexistence of opposing emotions and desires towards the other person that creates an uncertainty about being in the relationship.

Ambivalence as a construct was described by Bleuler as one of the four primary symptoms of schizophrenia and was defined as “positive and negative [emotions] at one and the same time” (Bleuler, 1950, p.

Ambivalence is not only healthy, but also a clear indication of the level of our self-worth and the barometer of our level of self-confidence. Most people see ambivalence as a bad thing because they allow it to confuse them, or they most probably confuse it for ambiguity.

Emotional ambivalence is the simultaneous experience of positive and negative emotions about something. It's what we think of as being “torn.”

However, ambivalence, in this case, was a personality trait, and we know these to be relatively stable. This means that it is very likely that the trait influenced the judgment and not vice versa,” Schneider explained.

In an ambivalent relationship, neither the positive nor the negative predominates; your feelings about the person are decidedly mixed. Sometimes this person is encouraging, and sometimes they're critical. Sometimes they're fun, and sometimes they're a drag. Sometimes they're there for you, and sometimes they're not.

This showed that, at both individual and family levels, narcissist behavior can be seen to serve in an ambivalent way (“look, but don't touch”) to conserve an image of being exceptional and superior; simultaneously, it keeps others at a distance so as not to tarnish this image.

You're also not using the word ambivalent with its established meaning. Being ambivalent doesn't mean you don't care, it means you have contradictory or mixed feelings about it. You do care—and you're torn.

Is ambivalence an emotion?

Emotional ambivalence is a particularly complex emotion characterized by tension and conflict that is felt when someone experiences both positive and negative emotions simultaneously.

Ambivalence, which essentially means having conflicting feelings about something, makes many people uncomfortable. But it is a normal part of change, experts say.