Perspective Taking and Specificity of Sensory Contact in Romantic Relationships

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anca M. Miron ◽  
Robert A. Wicklund ◽  
Megan Diestelmann ◽  
Taresa Moore ◽  
Hannah Schroeder
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Sensory Contact ◽  
Long Distance Relationships

In two studies, we examined the effects of perspective taking aimed at one's romantic partner, and type of romantic relationship (long-distance vs. geographically close) on sensory specificity. Sensory specificity is defined as selectivity in using sensory dimensions such as visual, acoustical, or tactile, in romantic interactions. Participants were undergraduate students involved in exclusive romantic relationships. In Study 1 (N = 210), a perspective-taking orientation to the partner enhanced sensory selectivity in both types of relationships. In Study 2 (N = 120), in which perspective taking was manipulated, perspective taking caused an increase in sensory specificity for partners living in the same location, and not for those in long-distance relationships. These findings underscore the importance of studying perspective taking in the context of sensory-based romantic interactions. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Full-Dimensionality of Relating in Romantic Relationships

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 67-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anca M. Miron ◽  
Frances H. Rauscher ◽  
Alexandra Reyes ◽  
David Gavel ◽  
Kourtney K. Lechner
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Long Distance Relationships ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
High Orientation ◽  
Practical Implications

We propose that an orientation toward relating to one's romantic partner via multiple sensory channels has beneficial effects for the relationship, especially for long-distance relationships. We used Wicklund's (2004) conceptualisation of full-dimensionality of relating and Brehm's (1999) emotional intensity theory to test the effects of a sensory multidimensional orientation and difficulty of maintaining the romantic relationship on feelings of love and commitment. In Study 1, we tested 55 participants involved in a long-distance romantic relationship and found that a multidimensional orientation fended off the detrimental effects of difficulty of maintaining the relationship: when partners experienced high difficulty, those with a high orientation experienced more positive affect, love, and commitment than those with a low orientation. In Study 2, data from 31 long-distance and 23 geographically-close participants indicated that a high multidimensionality orientation had a greater positive impact in long-distance relationships than in geographically-close relationships. In Study 3, 40 long-distance participants were asked to write about two times when it was either difficult but possible or nearly impossible to maintain their current relationship. Positive affect for the partner, love, and desire to be with the partner in the future were highest for the participants in the possible condition who preferred relating to the partner on multiple sensory channels. Altogether, these studies underline the importance of multidimensional orientation in romantic relationships, especially when intimates perceive maintaining the relationship as being difficult but manageable. Theoretical and practical implications of this new concept of sensory multidimensionality orientation are discussed.

scholarly journals Longitudinal changes in emerging adults’ attachment preferences for their mother, father, friends, and romantic partner

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomo Umemura ◽  
Lenka Lacinová ◽  
Petr Macek ◽  
E. Saskia Kunnen
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Time Points ◽  
The Family ◽  
Latent Difference Score

Only a few studies have longitudinally explored to whom emerging adults prefer to turn to seek closeness, comfort, and security (called “attachment preferences”), and previous studies on attachment preferences in emerging adults have focused only on the beginning of romantic relationships but not on the end of relationships. Czech emerging adults ( M = 21.47; SD = 1.48) completed the questionnaire of attachment preferences at two time points, Wave 1 (Summer 2013) and Wave 2 (Summer 2014). Latent difference score analyses revealed that emerging adults who were not in a romantic relationship in Wave 1 but started a romantic relationship between the two waves ( n = 97) and those who had a romantic partner in both waves ( n = 379) were both more likely to increase their attachment preference for the romantic partner and decrease their preference for friends, whereas those who did not start a relationship ( n = 185) were not. Emerging adults who were in a romantic relationship in Wave 1 but were not in Wave 2 ( n = 69) decreased their preference for the partner and increased their preference for friends. In all the groups, attachment preferences for the mother, for the father, or for the family did not change. Multiple regression analyses further revealed that for those who had a romantic partner in both waves, their length of romantic relationship was associated with changes in attachment preferences for romantic partners and for friends.

Responses to dissatisfaction in friendships and romantic relationships: An interpersonal script analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1651-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Harasymchuk ◽  
Beverley Fehr
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Close Friend ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Relationship Context ◽  
Script Analysis ◽  
The Relationship

According to interpersonal script models, people’s responses to relational events are shaped by the reaction they expect from a close other. We analyzed responses to dissatisfaction in close relationships from an interpersonal script perspective. Participants reported on how a close friend or romantic partner would react to their expressions of dissatisfaction (using the exit-voice-loyalty-neglect typology). They were also asked to forecast whether the issue would be resolved (i.e., anticipated outcomes). Our main hypothesis was that people’s expectations for how a close other would respond to dissatisfaction would be dependent on their own self response. Further, we predicted that passive responses would be more common and viewed as less deleterious to a friendship than a romantic relationship. Results indicated that the responses that were expected from close others were contingent on how self responded. Moreover, as predicted, these contingencies followed different tracks depending on the type of relationship. Friends were more likely to expect passive responses to self’s expression of dissatisfaction, especially if self responded with neglect, whereas romantic partners expected more active responses. Furthermore, people anticipated that the issue would be more likely to be resolved if their friend (vs. romantic partner) responded passively and less actively (especially for destructive responses). It was concluded that people hold complex, nuanced interpersonal scripts for dissatisfaction and that these scripts vary, depending on the relationship context.

scholarly journals How Interdependent are Stay/Leave Decisions? On Staying in the Relationship for the Sake of the Romantic Partner

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Joel ◽  
Emily Impett ◽  
Stephanie Spielmann ◽  
Geoff MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Investment Model ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
The Self ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Model Components ◽  
The Relationship

The decision to end a romantic relationship can have a life-changing impact on the partner as well as the self. Research on close relationships has thus far focused on self-interested reasons why people choose to stay in their relationship versus leave. However, a growing body of research on decision-making and prosociality shows that when people make decisions that impact others, they take those others’ feelings and perspectives into consideration. In the present research, we tested the prediction that people make stay/leave decisions prosocially, such that consideration for their romantic partner’s feelings can discourage people from ending their relationships. In Study 1, a total of 1,348 participants in romantic relationships were tracked over a ten-week period. Study 2 was a preregistered replication and extension of Study 1, in which 500 participants contemplating a breakup were followed over a two-month period. Both studies showed that the more dependent people believed their partner was on the relationship, the less likely they were to initiate a breakup. These findings held above and beyond a variety of self-focused variables (e.g., investment model components; Rusbult, Martz, & Agnew, 1998). These results suggest that people can be motivated to stay in relatively unfulfilling relationships for the sake of their romantic partner.

scholarly journals The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1367
Author(s):  
Amy Shell ◽  
Anna Blomkvist ◽  
Mehmet K. Mahmut
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Relationship Maintenance ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Olfactory Ability

Individuals in healthy romantic relationships gain significant benefits to their psychological wellbeing and physiological health. Notably, the majority of relationship research has focused on how adult attachment influences these relationship outcomes while the role of olfaction remains an emerging research focus. The aim of the current study was to bring together these seemingly unrelated factors–attachment and olfaction–in an online quasi-experimental design. The participants were 401 undergraduate students, predominantly females, ranging in age from 17 to 70 years. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires that evaluated their attachment tendencies, olfactory ability and experiences in romantic relationships. Results indicated that attachment insecurity, across both attachment anxiety and avoidance, was associated with decreased olfactory functioning for females. These findings provide preliminary evidence that olfaction is related to romantic relationship maintenance and suggests that body odors could be fundamental for evoking the attachment system. These findings also elicit enticing new avenues of research which can assist psychologists to provide targeted treatments to individuals with olfactory deficits and insecure attachment tendencies.

Love Styles and Desire for Closeness in Romantic Relationships

2009 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan K. Goodboy ◽  
Melanie Booth-Butterfield
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Love Styles

This study investigated differences in love styles (i.e., eros, ludus, storge, pragma, agape, mania) associated with the romantic desire for closeness. Participants were 197 undergraduate students ( M age = 19.8 yr., SD = 1.9; 92 men, 104 women) currently in a romantic relationship who completed a survey assessing their love styles and current desire for closeness with their partner (i.e., desired less closeness, the same level of closeness, or more closeness). Results indicated small significant differences in individuals' preferences for closeness with the eros and ludus love styles. Specifically, individuals who desired less closeness scored lower on eros love and higher on ludus love than partners who reported an ideal level of closeness or who desired more closeness.

Perspective Taking, Self-Anchoring, and Attention to Context in Long-Distance and Geographically Close Romantic Relationships

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anca M. Miron ◽  
Danica Kulibert ◽  
Alisha Petrouske ◽  
Ben Saltigerald
Keyword(s):  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Difficult Situation ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
Drawing Task ◽  
Financial Issues ◽  
Precarious Situation ◽  
Writing Task

We manipulated perspective taking and measured romantic intimates’ attention to their partners’ context. Participants read a letter supposedly from their romantic partner describing the partner's precarious situation (e.g., stress and financial issues) and either imagined their partner's difficult situation (n = 87) or remained objective and detached (n = 85). Afterwards, they drew a picture of their romantic partner in the situation (drawing task) and wrote about the thoughts they had while reading the letter (writing task). As predicted, when adopting their romantic partner's perspective (vs. remaining detached), geographically close intimates focused more on their partner's context, whereas long-distance intimates relied on self-anchoring processes to produce knowledge about their partner's feelings and thoughts in that specific situation. We discuss theoretical, clinical, and therapeutic implications of the findings for the study of differential perspective-taking processes and mechanisms in long-distance and geographically close relationships.

The discourses surrounding long-distance romantic relationships and perceived network support: A mixed methods investigation

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110138
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Johnson ◽  
Jeffrey A. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Perceived Support ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Relationship Type ◽  
Network Support ◽  
Relational Partners

This multi-method investigation focuses on perceived network support and its association with well-being for people in long-distance romantic relationships (LDRRs). In Study 1, interviews with 35 individuals in LDRRs were conducted. Analysis identified a general lack of support and understanding of LDRRs from peers and explored how partners manage unsupportive discourses. Study 2 quantitatively examined perceived network support for relationships and relational partners, and the association between perceived support and relational well-being. Participants ( N = 217) in LDRRs and geographically-close romantic relationships (GCRRs) completed online surveys. Results indicated that LDRR participants reported significantly lower network support for their relationship compared to those in GCRRs, but no significant differences were found for relational well-being. Perceiving support for one’s romantic partner from one’s network was predictive of relational well-being regardless of relationship type.

Attachment Styles, Physical Proximity, and Relational Satisfaction

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-112
Author(s):  
Anita Shrivastava ◽  
Andrea Burianova
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Distinct Type ◽  
Relational Satisfaction ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Avoidant Attachment ◽  
Geographic Separation ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Attachment Dimensions

This study aimed to explore the relationships between attachment styles, proximity, and relational satisfaction. This was achieved by assessing a distinct type of long distance romantic relationship of flying crews, compared with proximal (non-flying crew) romantic relationships. The responses of 139 expatriate professionals revealed significant associations between proximity and anxious and avoidant attachment dimensions. The role of the avoidant dimension in comparison with that of the anxious dimension was found to be a significant predictor of relational satisfaction. This study contributes significantly toward addressing the role of proximity and attachment in relational satisfaction in a new context of geographic separation.

Initiating, Maintaining, or Breaking Up?

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 408-420 ◽  
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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