Great expectations

Expectations for one’s romantic relationship, and the extent to which these expectations are actually met, are important predictors of relationship outcomes. Themes of romanticism (e.g., idealism, soul mates, love at first sight) emerge from our romantic socialization. But what happens when romantic relationships fall short of these ideals and expectations are unmet? The current study examined the association among unmet romantic expectations and relationship outcomes using an investment model framework. The sample comprised 296 U.S. young adults involved in dating relationships. Participants provided ratings of the romantic characteristics of their current, ideal, and potential alternative relationships. Unmet romantic expectations based on an ideal relationship were associated with lower relationship satisfaction, commitment, and investment. Unmet romantic expectations based on an alternative relationship were associated with lower relationship satisfaction, investment, and commitment and higher quality of alternatives. The results are discussed in terms of implications for researchers and clinicians/counselors.

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Relevance of components of Investment Model and some variables in close relationships with high and low self-monitoringYakın ilişkilerde Yatırım Modeli unsurlarının ve bazı değişkenlerin yüksek ve düşük izlenim ayarlamacılığı ile ilgisi

Journal of Human Sciences ◽

10.14687/ijhs.v12i2.3375 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 932

Author(s):

Hanzade Aslan Yılmaz ◽

Selim Hovardaoğlu

Keyword(s):

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Close Relationships ◽

Personal Information ◽

Investment Model ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

Theoretical Approaches ◽

Relationship Investment ◽

The Relationship

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between some variables related to close relationships (expectation of the relationship duration, loyalty to the relation, finding the partner attractive, evaluating the quality of the relationship positively, having issues in the relationship, reliance on the relationship, the wish that she/he had never started the relationship, finding the relationship important, happiness with the partner) and the components of Investment Model (relationship satisfaction, quality of alternatives, relationship investment) with self-monitoring which is a variable related to the self concept. For this aim, married or not, 472 participants which have a romantic relationship, completed a personal information form, Snyder’s Self-monitoring Scale (Bacanlı, 1990; Snyder, 1974) and Relationship Stability Scale (Büyükşahin, Hasta,& Hovardaoğlu, 2005; Rusbult, Martz, &Agnew,1998). A logistic regression is conducted to investigate whether the components of Investment Model are relevant to any self-monitoring groups (high self-monitoring or low self-monitoring). Results indicated that quality of alternatives (positively) and having issues in the relationship (negatively) are related to high self-monitoring. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical approaches. ÖzetBu araştırmada yakın ilişkilerle ilgili bazı değişkenlerin (ilişki süresine ilişkin beklenti, ilişkiye bağlılık, partneri çekici bulmak, ilişkinin niteliğini olumlu değerlendirmek, ilişkide sorun yaşamak, ilişkide güvende hissetmek, ilişkiye hiç başlamamış olmayı istemek, ilişkiyi önemli bulmak, partnerle mutluluk) ve Yatırım Modeli’nin (Investment Model) unsurları (ilişki doyumu, seçeneklerin niteliğinin değerlendirme, ilişki yatırımı) ile benlik kavramıyla ilişkili izlenim ayarlamacılığı (self-monitoring) değişkeninin ilgili olup olmadığının test edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla, (evli ya da evli olmayan) bir romantik ilişkisi bulunan 472 kişiye kişisel bilgi formu, Kendini Ayarlama Ölçeği (Bacanlı, 1990; Snyder, 1974) ve İlişki İstikrarı Ölçeği (Büyükşahin, Hasta ve Hovardaoğlu, 2005; Rusbult, Martz ve Agnew,1998) uygulanmıştır. Yapılan lojistik regresyon analizi ile araştırma kapsamında ele alınan ve yakın ilişkilerle ilgili değişkenlerin ve Yatırım Modeli unsurlarının yüksek ya da düşük izlenim ayarlamacılığı gruplarından herhangi biriyle ilgili olup olmadığı test edilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda seçeneklerin niteliğini değerlendirme (pozitif olarak) ve ilişkide sorun yaşama (negatif olarak) değişkenlerinin yüksek izlenim ayarlamacılığı ile ilgili olduğu bulunmuştur. Sonuçlar kuramsal yaklaşımlar çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır.

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Negative affective reaction to partner’s dominant behavior influences satisfaction with romantic relationship

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407516677060 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (8) ◽

pp. 1324-1346 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Gentiana Sadikaj ◽

D. S. Moskowitz ◽

David C. Zuroff

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Affective Reaction ◽

Cohabiting Couples

Dominant behavior has been related to lower quality romantic relationships. The present study examined two processes through which dominant behavior affects the quality of romantic relationships: (1) the extent to which the partner’s dominance increases the person’s negative affect by thwarting the person’s sense of autonomy and (2) the degree to which the person’s negative affect in reaction to the partner’s dominant behavior affects relationship satisfaction. Using an event-contingent recording (ECR) methodology, 92 cohabiting couples reported their dominant behavior, negative affect, and autonomy in interactions with each other during 20 days. Relationship satisfaction was measured at the end of the ECR period. The results indicated that when a partner engages in dominant behavior, the person experiences greater negative affect in part due to a sense of thwarted autonomy and that greater negative affective reaction in association with the partner’s dominant behavior is related to lower relationship satisfaction in the person.

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Situation perception mediates the link between narcissism and relationship satisfaction: Evidence from a daily diary study in romantic couples

10.31234/osf.io/jz3qf ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katrin Rentzsch ◽

Larissa Lucia Wieczorek ◽

Tanja M. Gerlach

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Diary Study ◽

Grandiose Narcissism ◽

Romantic Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Relationship Outcomes ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Research has shown that diverging romantic relationship outcomes of grandiose narcissism can be explained by differential associations of agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism. In this study, we wanted to further investigate the underlying mechanisms by examining how narcissists perceive daily situations with their partner. In an online diary, 171 couples reported on 1941 daily situations experienced together. Analyses revealed that agentic narcissism was positively and antagonistic narcissism was negatively related to daily relationship satisfaction. These effects were differentially linked through distinct situation perceptions: Agentic narcissism was positively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving daily situations as, for example, containing more romance, sexuality and love, while antagonistic narcissism was negatively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving, for example, more threat, criticism, and accusation. Results are discussed in light of the NARC model and with respect to person-situation transactions in romantic relationships.

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Situation Perception Mediates the Link Between Narcissism and Relationship Satisfaction: Evidence From a Daily Diary Study in Romantic Couples

Social Psychological and Personality Science ◽

10.1177/1948550620987419 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194855062098741

Author(s):

Katrin Rentzsch ◽

Larissa L. Wieczorek ◽

Tanja M. Gerlach

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Diary Study ◽

Grandiose Narcissism ◽

Romantic Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Relationship Outcomes ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Research has shown that diverging romantic relationship outcomes of grandiose narcissism can be explained by differential associations of agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism. In this study, we wanted to further investigate the underlying mechanisms by examining how narcissists perceive daily situations with their partners. In an online diary, 171 couples reported on 1941 daily situations experienced together. Analyses revealed that agentic narcissism was positively and antagonistic narcissism was negatively related to daily relationship satisfaction. These effects were differentially linked through distinct situation perceptions: Agentic narcissism was positively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving daily situations as, for example, containing more romance, sexuality, and love, while antagonistic narcissism was negatively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving, for example, more threat, criticism, and accusation. Results are discussed in light of the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept and with respect to person–situation transactions in romantic relationships.

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

10.18662/wlc2021/04 ◽

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.

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The relationship between different types of objectification, sexual pressure, and relationship satisfaction in Chinese heterosexual dating relationships

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/02654075211035183 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026540752110351

Author(s):

Qinglong Guo ◽

Yang Wang ◽

Mingxia Wu

Keyword(s):

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Dating Relationships ◽

Destructive Effect ◽

Sexual Pressure ◽

Different Types ◽

Romantic Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Self Objectification ◽

The Relationship

Although an increasing number of studies are focusing on the relationship between different kinds of objectification and relationship satisfaction, studies have rarely examined these relationships within non-Western samples. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between men’s partner objectification (PO), women’s perceived partner-objectification (PPO), and women’s self-objectification, as well as their link to women’s romantic relationship satisfaction through women’s sexual pressure among Chinese heterosexual college couples ( n = 201 pairs). This study found that women’s PPO mediated the relationship between men’s PO and women’s self-objectification, and there were two paths from men’s PO to women’s relationship satisfaction. First, men’s PO was related to lower women’s relationship satisfaction through increased women’s PPO. Second, men’s PO was associated with greater women’s PPO, which was associated with greater sexual pressure on women and subsequently correlated with women’s lower relationship satisfaction. However, self-objectification was neither significantly directly related to sexual pressure nor relationship satisfaction. These findings indicated that the relationships between the three types of objectification (men’s PO, women’s PPO, and women’s self-objectification) and sexual pressure and relationship satisfaction are different, which contributes to the understanding of the destructive effect of different objectification on relationship satisfaction in Chinese samples.

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Why Find My Own When I Can Take Yours?: The Quality of Relationships That Arise From Successful Mate Poaching

Journal of Relationships Research ◽

10.1017/jrr.2018.5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Charlene F. Belu ◽

Lucia F. O'Sullivan

Keyword(s):

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Relationship Quality ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Mate Poaching ◽

Adult Participants ◽

Current Partner ◽

Quality Of Relationships

Mate poaching occurs when a person attracts another, whom he or she knows is already in an exclusive relationship, into a sexual or romantic relationship. Mate poaching is involved in the evolution of many relationships. Yet, little is known about the quality of these relationships. We examined relationship quality between individuals whose relationships were formed via mate poaching versus not (i.e., a relationship formed serially without overlap with another relationship). We compared ratings of quality from the perspectives of poachers, poached, and co-poached individuals. Adult participants (n = 660) in a romantic relationship responded to questions assessing relationship quality. Those in relationships formed from poaching rated their relationships as lower in relationship satisfaction, commitment and trust, and higher in jealousy, and had higher rates of romantic and sexuality infidelity in their current relationship compared to individuals in non-poached relationships. Those who were poached from an existing relationship rated their current relationship as lower in commitment than did those who poached their current partner into a relationship. The study also provides first insights regarding relationship quality for those who identify as co-poached. We discuss these findings in terms of implications for understanding how relationships are formed and the qualities of those that endure.

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Falling Prey to Online Romantic Alternatives: Evaluating Social Media Alternative Partners in Committed Versus Dating Relationships

Social Science Computer Review ◽

10.1177/0894439318793947 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 37 (6) ◽

pp. 723-733 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Irum Saeed Abbasi

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Social Networking Sites ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Self Report ◽

Relationship Status ◽

Cross Sectional

Social media represents an integral platform that is currently used to maintain and develop new social connections including alternative romantic partners. Over engagement with online friends and pursuing alternative partners can potentially threaten the primary romantic relationship. In the present study, the author examined if the partners’ relationship status is a predictor of relationship satisfaction, quality of online romantic alternatives, online infidelity-related behaviors, social media addiction, and the total number of social networking sites (SNSs) accounts. In a cross-sectional study, romantic partners ( N = 578, 378 females and 200 males) completed a battery of self-report scales. The partners were divided into two groups based on their relationship status: Those who reported to be in a committed relationship ( n = 330) and those who reported to be in a casual dating relationship ( n = 248). Results revealed that there is a significant between-group difference in the way both groups evaluated the quality of potential alternative partners and level of SNSs addiction. However, there was no between-group difference in relationship satisfaction, SNSs infidelity behaviors, or the total number of SNSs accounts. The dating group reported significantly more sexual alternatives than the committed group. However, the number of potential committed alternatives was not significantly different between the two groups. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

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