The dyadic nature of ideal and partner perceptions in romantic relationships

There has been a long-standing debate about whether having accurate self-perceptions or holding positive illusions of self is more adaptive. This debate has recently expanded to consider the role of accuracy and bias of partner perceptions in romantic relationships. In the present study, we hypothesized that because accuracy, positivity bias, and similarity bias are likely to serve distinct functions in relationships, they should all make independent contributions to the prediction of marital satisfaction. In a sample of 288 newlywed couples, we tested this hypothesis by simultaneously modeling the actor effects and partner effects of accuracy, positivity bias, and similarity bias in predicting husbands' and wives' satisfaction. Findings across several perceptual domains suggest that all three perceptual indices independently predicted the perceiver's satisfaction. Accuracy and similarity bias, but not positivity bias, made unique contributions to the target's satisfaction. No sex differences were found.

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Preprint of "Rose-Colored Glasses in Initial Romantic Encounters? Examining Positive Partner Illusions and Their Interpersonal Consequences in the Very Early Stages of Romantic Acquaintance"

10.31219/osf.io/48sh2 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stefanie N. Wurst ◽

Sarah Humberg ◽

Mitja Back

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Longitudinal Research ◽

Real Life ◽

Romantic Partner ◽

Positive Illusions ◽

Psychological Processes ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Speed Dating ◽

Interpersonal Consequences ◽

Partner Perceptions

We investigated whether positive partner illusions (i.e., perceiving a romantic partner more positively then she/he actually is) and their beneficial interpersonal consequences already occur in initial romantic encounters. In a real-life speed-dating context, 398 heterosexual singles (aged: 18-28) indicated their perceptions of their dating partners directly after each speed-date. We obtained 2 kinds of reality benchmarks to compare these partner perceptions against: dating partners’ self-perceptions and consensus ratings about the dating partners. With 3 follow-ups in the 6 weeks following the speed-dating, we assessed interpersonal consequences between daters. Response surface analyses revealed no evidence of positive illusions or of beneficial interpersonal consequences of positive illusions in initial romantic encounters. These findings (a) suggest that positive illusions start to emerge at later stages of romantic acquaintance and (b) inform research on the psychological processes underlying positive illusions. We furthermore provide methodological recommendations for future longitudinal research investigating the time of onset of positive illusions and the formation of romantic relationships in general.

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Narcissism and Perceived Inequity in Attractiveness in Romantic Relationships

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000025 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 295-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Elke Rohmann ◽

Hans-Werner Bierhoff ◽

Martina Schmohr

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Gender Effect ◽

Dyadic Analysis ◽

Dyadic Data ◽

Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽

Narcissistic Personality ◽

Intraclass Correlations ◽

Narcissistic Personality Inventory ◽

Additional Variance

In three studies of romantic relationships (N = 253, N = 81, and N = 98) the hypothesis was tested that high narcissists, relative to low narcissists, distort the assessment of equity in attractiveness. Narcissism was measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. In Study 1 the hypothesis was confirmed. In Study 2 it was shown that although narcissism correlated significantly with self-esteem, it was the unique variance in narcissism which predicted the tendency to feel underbenefited in respect to attractiveness. Finally in Study 3, dyadic data were analyzed on the basis of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. The data of 49 couples who lived together were included. The dyadic analysis indicated that actor narcissism exerted the expected influence on perceived inequity in attractiveness, whereas partner narcissism explained no additional variance. High narcissists felt more underbenefited than low narcissists. The analysis of dyadic data in Study 3 indicates that the link between narcissism and equity in attractiveness turns out to be an intrapersonal phenomenon because only actor narcissism, not partner narcissism, is significantly correlated with perceived inequity. In addition, partial intraclass correlations revealed that if one partner tended to feel underbenefited, the other partner tended to feel overbenefited. The results are explained on the basis of the agentic model of narcissism. All three studies consistently revealed a gender effect indicating that women felt more underbenefited than men in terms of attractiveness.

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Initiating, Maintaining, or Breaking Up?

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000200 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 408-420 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Michela Menegatti ◽

Monica Rubini

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Self Disclosure ◽

Level Of Abstraction ◽

Problematic Relationship ◽

Abstract Language ◽

Language Abstraction

Two studies examined whether individuals vary the level of abstraction of messages composed to achieve the relational goals of initiating, maintaining, and ending a romantic relationships when the goal of communication was self-disclosure or persuading one’s partner. Study 1 showed that abstract language was preferred to disclose thoughts and feelings about initiating a romantic relationship or to persuade the partner to consolidate a long-term one. Study 2 revealed that participants used abstract terms to persuade the partner to continue a problematic relationship and to disclose their thoughts on ending it. These results show that language abstraction is a flexible means to handle individuals’ goals and influence the course of romantic relationships.

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