Shifting priorities

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 793-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Gere ◽  
Emily A. Impett
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Commitment ◽  
Goal Conflict ◽  
Goal Adjustment ◽  
Initial Session ◽  
Dating Couples ◽  
Over Time

We investigated whether partners in newly developing romantic relationships adjust their goals when they experience conflict with the goals of their partner, and the consequences of goal conflict and goal adjustment. Fifty-nine newly dating couples ( N = 118) reported on their goals at an initial session and again 3 months later. Multilevel models indicated that when people reported higher conflict between a goal and their partner’s goals, they were more likely to stop pursuing as well as to devalue the importance of that particular goal over time. Furthermore, goal devaluing was associated with increases in relationship commitment over time but decreases in women’s relationship satisfaction when their partners devalued conflicting goals. Overall levels of goal conflict were associated with marginal decreases in relationship satisfaction. These results indicate that romantic partners try to adjust their goals to reduce goal conflict even in developing relationships, and that these adjustments have consequences for relationship satisfaction and commitment.

The Principle of Least Interest

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 1255-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Sprecher ◽  
Maria Schmeeckle ◽  
Diane Felmlee
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Emotional Involvement ◽  
Longitudinal Sample ◽  
Dating Couples ◽  
Retrospective Perceptions ◽  
Over Time

Data from a longitudinal sample of dating couples (some of whom married) were analyzed to test the aspect of Waller’s (1938) principle of least interest that states that unequal emotional involvement between romantic partners has implications for relationship quality and stability. Both members of the couples were asked multiple times over several years which partner, if either, was more emotionally involved. Perceptions of unequal emotional involvement were common and tended to remain stable over time. Less emotionally involved partners perceived themselves as having more control over the continuation of their relationships. Equal emotional involvement was associated with greater relationship satisfaction and stability. Concurrent and retrospective perceptions of relative emotional involvement were associated with several aspects of relationship breakup within the subsample of those who broke up during the study. Perceptions of emotional involvement have many implications for dating couples, including being linked to relationship satisfaction and other outcomes.

scholarly journals Optimism in close relationships: How seeing things in a positive light makes them so

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay Srivastava ◽  
Kelly M. McGonigal ◽  
Jane M. Richards ◽  
Emily A. Butler ◽  
James Gross
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Perceived Support ◽  
Relationship Status ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dating Couples ◽  
Cognitive Disposition

Does expecting positive outcomes--especially in important life domains such as relationships--make these positive outcomes more likely? In a longitudinal study of dating couples, the authors tested whether optimists (who have a cognitive disposition to expect positive outcomes) and their romantic partners are more satisfied in their relationships, and if so, whether this is due to optimists perceiving greater support from their partners. In cross-sectional analyses, both optimists and their partners indicated greater relationship satisfaction, an effect that was mediated by optimists' greater perceived support. When the couples engaged in a conflict conversation, optimists and their partners saw each other as engaging more constructively during the conflict, which in turn led both partners to feel that the conflict was better resolved 1 week later. In a 1-year follow-up, men's optimism predicted relationship status. Effects of optimism were mediated by the optimists' perceived support, which appears to promote a variety of beneficial processes in romantic relationships.

Momentary sexual enjoyment: The dyadic roles of relationship satisfaction and contraception among mixed-gender dating couples

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 932-941
Author(s):  
Shari M. Blumenstock ◽  
Lauren M. Papp
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Sexual Experiences ◽  
Relationship Length ◽  
Contraception Use ◽  
Dating Couples ◽  
Sexual Enjoyment ◽  
Mixed Gender

Enjoyable sexual experiences with a romantic partner are a vital element of healthy lives and happy relationships, yet positive experiences of sex, and associated interpersonal and contraceptive factors, have not been extensively studied at the momentary level. In particular, little is known about how relationship quality and contraception use simultaneously relate to both women’s and men’s momentary sexual experiences within young adult romantic relationships. Using electronic diary reports collected three times per day for 10 days ( n = 293 reports of sexual activity), this study assessed own and partner relationship satisfaction and contraception (hormonal and condom) use as predictors of momentary sexual enjoyment in 43 mixed-gender young adult dating couples. Dyadic multilevel model results indicated that women’s relationship satisfaction positively predicted sexual enjoyment for both women and men, whereas men’s relationship satisfaction was not associated with own or partner’s sexual enjoyment. Women’s hormonal contraception use was associated with lower momentary sexual enjoyment for women and their male partners. Condom use was infrequent and not associated with sexual enjoyment, contrary to our (and many young adults') expectations. All analyses controlled for relationship length and sexual frequency. Findings underscore the simultaneous importance of hormonal and relational factors in sexual outcomes within young adult romantic relationships, as well as the complex and interdependent nature of partnered sexual experiences.

scholarly journals Maximizing Tendencies in Marriage: Accentuating the Implications of Readily Observable Partner Characteristics for Intimates’ Satisfaction

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 1468-1481
Author(s):  
Juliana E. French ◽  
Andrea L. Meltzer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Physical Attractiveness ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Outcomes ◽  
Partner Characteristics ◽  
Potential Alternative ◽  
Over Time

People differ in their tendencies to labor over decisions and to make choices that maximize their outcomes—a difference known as maximization. Here, we used two independent, 3-year longitudinal studies of newlywed couples to demonstrate that this individual difference in decision making has important implications for romantic relationships. Consistent with the idea that maximizers are more likely to compare their current romantic partners to potential alternative partners’ readily observable qualities, such as their physical attractiveness and status, results demonstrated that intimates’ maximization moderated the implications of these sex-differentiated variables for marital satisfaction. Specifically, maximizing men who had attractive (vs. unattractive) wives were more satisfied at the start of their marriages. Likewise, maximizing women who had high (vs. low) status husbands experienced less steep declines in satisfaction over time. These findings demonstrate that maximization has important implications for long-term romantic relationships by accentuating the effects of readily observable partner qualities on relationship outcomes.

Secrets, Psychological Health, and the Fear of Discovery

2020 ◽  
pp. 014616722094619
Author(s):  
Christopher G. Davis ◽  
Hannah Brazeau ◽  
Elisabeth Bailin Xie ◽  
Kathleen McKee
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Multilevel Modeling ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Longitudinal Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Over Time

Keeping secrets from one’s partner has been associated with lower well-being and relationship satisfaction. Previous research has suggested that individual differences in self-concealment account for these effects. However, we propose that the fear of discovery (FoD)—defined as the fear that one’s secret may be revealed by means other than deliberate disclosure—predicts the extent to which secrets affect well-being beyond the effects attributable to individual differences. Both a cross-sectional and a longitudinal survey (combined N = 471; 54.4% female; Mage = 39.5) of adults in romantic relationships confirmed that FoD predicted greater preoccupation with the secret, more negative affect, and less relationship satisfaction and commitment beyond that of self-concealment. Multilevel modeling in Study 2 indicated that changes in FoD predicted changes in preoccupation over time. The data are consistent with the notion that FoD promotes greater preoccupation, greater negative affect, and lower levels of relationship well-being.

Relationship-focused humor styles and relationship satisfaction in dating couples: A repeated-measures design

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Caird ◽  
Rod A. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Humor Styles ◽  
Dating Relationships ◽  
Repeated Measures Design ◽  
Dating Couples ◽  
Over Time

AbstractThis investigation used a repeated-measures diary methodology to examine associations between humor styles used in the context of dating relationships and relationship satisfaction over time. Over a period of three weeks, undergraduate students (

Adolescent Romantic Relationship–Oriented Facebook Behaviors: Implications for Self-Esteem

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 661-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Langlais ◽  
Gwendolyn Seidman ◽  
Kyla M. Bruxvoort
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Development ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Public Displays

Despite the consistent, high use of Facebook among adolescents, few studies have examined how adolescents use Facebook when forming and maintaining romantic relationships. Based on the Internet-enhanced self-disclosure hypothesis, romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behaviors are likely to relate to adolescent self-esteem. The goal of this study is to examine romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behaviors (private exchanges, monitoring, public displays, and oversharing information) between adolescents and their romantic partners or crushes, and then test how these behaviors relate to self-esteem. Data come from an online survey of adolescents from the Midwestern United States who are current Facebook users. Results demonstrated that the most common romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behavior was monitoring. Regression analyses revealed that monitoring predicted lower adolescent self-esteem. Relationship satisfaction moderated the association between self-esteem and both private exchanges and oversharing information. Implications for adolescent romantic relationship development are discussed.

scholarly journals Humor production in long-term romantic relationships: What the lack of moderation by sex reveals about humor’s role in mating

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-359
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This manuscript explores whether the associations between partner humor production and relationship satisfaction and humor’s importance in romantic relationships are moderated by sex. Study 1 reports a meta-analysis (k = 10; N = 2,167) of the association between partner humor production (i.e., perceived; partner effects) and relationship satisfaction, and whether associations were moderated by participant sex. Contrary to predictions, partner humor production was more strongly associated to men’s relationship satisfaction than women’s satisfaction. Study 2 surveyed pairs of romantic partners (N = 246) regarding their production of humor, their appreciation of partner humor, and the importance of humor in their relationship. Results indicated no moderations by sex in the association between partner humor production and humor’s importance in the relationship.

scholarly journals Three Cords Twisted Together. The Investment Model, Religiousness and Forgiveness

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milka Nicoleta Apostu ◽  
◽  
Octav Sorin Candel ◽  
Maria Nicoleta Turliuc ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Investment Model ◽  
Relationship Commitment ◽  
Graduate Courses ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Relationship Outcomes

The main purpose of the present research is to explore the influence of religiousness on couple commitment, drawing from previous studies where religiousness was confirmed as a strong predictor for positive relationship outcomes. We also aim to analyze relationship satisfaction as a mediating variable between religiousness and commitment. Furthermore, the study seeks to investigate forgiveness in dyadic romantic relationships, testing its role as a moderator of the association between relationship satisfaction and commitment. The procedure includes the recruitment of heterosexual students enrolled in post-graduate courses and their partners to take part in the present study. The final sample consists of 116 individuals involved in romantic relationships. All participants filled in a series of validated self-reported measures, providing data which was analyzed using parametric statistical tests. Additionally, we conducted mediation and moderation analyses. Results indicate that relationship satisfaction is positively associated with commitment, whereas religiousness is positively associated with relationship satisfaction, thus having an indirect effect on commitment. Additionally, considering overall forgiveness as well as the negative vs. positive components of the construct, we find that positive forgiveness is associated with commitment, when satisfaction is also considered in the equation. The current results have important therapeutic implications, such as using forgiveness-related therapies for couples and enhancing relationship satisfaction as means to consolidate relationship commitment.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Phubbing and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction: A Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masita Utami ◽  
Muhammad Khairul Anam ◽  
Rakhmaditya Dewi Noorrizki
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Couples Research ◽  
The World ◽  
Dating Couples ◽  
Romantic Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
The Relationship

This study examined the relationship between phubbing and romantic relationship satisfaction in dating couples. Research on the topic of discussing the relationship between phubbing and romantic relationship satisfaction is rarely conducted in Indonesia. Research carried out abroad focuses on the satisfaction of romantic relationships in marriage couples, not dating couples. Therefore, a research that discusses phubbing and romantic relationship satisfaction in dating couples is needed. Two variables are still considered new in the world of psychology. This study aims to determine the relationship between phubbing and romantic relationship satisfaction in dating couples. The method used in this study is a literature review in which presented various studies. In this research, presented several studies related to related aspects, namely phubbing and satisfaction romantic relationship. It was concluded that there was a relationship between phubbing and romantic relationship satisfaction among dating couples. In addition, we presented several studies related to the topic and related variables within the aspects. Further research is needed in order to know what variables are influenced and influenced. Keywords: phubbing, romantic relationship, relationship satisfaction

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