scholarly journals Eroticism versus Nurturance: How Eroticism and Nurturance Differs in Polyamorous and Monogamous Relationships

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhonda Nicole Balzarini ◽  
Christoffer Dharma ◽  
SHaRe Lab ◽  
Taylor Kohut
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Primary Partner ◽  
Relationship Length

Romantic partners provide both erotic and nurturing experiences, though these may emerge more strongly in different phases of a relationship. Unlike individuals in monogamous relationships, those in polyamorous relationships can pursue multiple romantic relationships simultaneously, potentially allowing them to experience higher levels of eroticism and nurturance. This research examined eroticism and nurturance among individuals in polyamorous and monogamous relationships. As expected, polyamorous participants experienced less eroticism but more nurturance in their relationships with their primary partner compared to secondary. Furthermore, people in polyamorous relationships reported more nurturance with primary partners and eroticism with secondary partners compared to people in monogamous relationships. These findings suggest that polyamory may provide a unique opportunity for individuals to experience both eroticism and nurturance simultaneously.Keywords: polyamory; monogamy; nurturance; eroticism; relationship length

Eroticism Versus Nurturance

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhonda N. Balzarini ◽  
Christoffer Dharma ◽  
Amy Muise ◽  
Taylor Kohut
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Primary Partner

Abstract. Romantic partners provide both erotic and nurturing experiences, though these may emerge more strongly in different phases of a relationship. Unlike individuals in monogamous relationships, those in polyamorous relationships can pursue multiple romantic relationships simultaneously, potentially allowing them to experience higher levels of eroticism and nurturance. This research examined eroticism and nurturance among individuals in polyamorous and monogamous relationships. As expected, polyamorous participants experienced less eroticism but more nurturance in their relationships with their primary partner compared to secondary. Furthermore, people in polyamorous relationships reported more nurturance with primary partners and eroticism with secondary partners compared to people in monogamous relationships. These findings suggest that polyamory may provide a unique opportunity for individuals to experience both eroticism and nurturance simultaneously.

scholarly journals We’re Not That Choosy: Emerging Evidence of a Progression Bias in Romantic Relationships

2021 ◽  
pp. 108886832110258
Author(s):  
Samantha Joel ◽  
Geoff MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Mate Selection ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Test Phase ◽  
Relationship Development ◽  
Cultural Narrative ◽  
Relationship Initiation ◽  
Relationship Decisions

Dating is widely thought of as a test phase for romantic relationships, during which new romantic partners carefully evaluate each other for long-term fit. However, this cultural narrative assumes that people are well equipped to reject poorly suited partners. In this article, we argue that humans are biased toward pro-relationship decisions—decisions that favor the initiation, advancement, and maintenance of romantic relationships. We first review evidence for a progression bias in the context of relationship initiation, investment, and breakup decisions. We next consider possible theoretical underpinnings—both evolutionary and cultural—that may explain why getting into a relationship is often easier than getting out of one, and why being in a less desirable relationship is often preferred over being in no relationship at all. We discuss potential boundary conditions that the phenomenon may have, as well as its implications for existing theoretical models of mate selection and relationship development.

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 Consistency between individuals' past and current romantic partners' own reports of their personalities

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (26) ◽  
pp. 12793-12797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoobin Park ◽  
Geoff MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Personality Profiles ◽  
Unique Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Average Person ◽  
Partner Similarity ◽  
The Individual

Do people have a “type” when it comes to their romantic partners’ personalities? In the present research, we used data from a 9-y longitudinal study in Germany and examined the similarity between an individual’s ex- and current partners using the partners’ self-reported personality profiles. Based on the social accuracy model, our analyses distinguished similarity between partners that was attributable to similarity to an average person (normative similarity) and resemblance to the target participant himself/herself (self-partner similarity) to more precisely examine similarity from partner to partner (distinctive similarity). The results revealed a significant degree of distinctive partner similarity, suggesting that there may indeed be a unique type of person each individual ends up with. We also found that distinctive partner similarity was weaker for people high in extraversion or openness to experience, suggesting that these individuals may be less likely to be in a relationship with someone similar to their ex-partner (although the individual difference effects were not mirrored in an alternative analytic approach). These findings provide evidence for stability in distinctive partner personality and have important implications for predicting future partnering behaviors and actions in romantic relationships.

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.

scholarly journals Romantic Relationship Churn in Early Adolescence Predicts Hostility, Abuse, and Avoidance in Relationships Into Early Adulthood

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1195-1225
Author(s):  
Emily L. Loeb ◽  
Jessica Kansky ◽  
Rachel K. Narr ◽  
Caroline Fowler ◽  
Joseph P. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Attachment Security ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Early Adolescent ◽  
Developmental Pathway ◽  
Close Friendships

This study examined early adolescent romantic “churning,” defined here as having a large number of boyfriends/girlfriends by age 13, as a problematic marker likely to predict hostility, abuse, and avoidance during conflict in later relationships. A sample of 184 adolescents was followed through age 24 to assess predictions of hostility, abuse, and avoidance during conflict from early romantic churning. Controlling for gender and family income, romantic churning at age 13 predicted relative decreases in peer preference and relative increases in conflict and betrayal in close friendships from ages 13 to 16, as well as higher observable hostility and self- and partner-reported abuse in romantic relationships by age 18 and greater avoidance during conflict with romantic partners by age 24. Findings remained after accounting for attachment security, social competence, and friendship quality in early adolescence, suggesting that early romantic churning may uniquely predict a problematic developmental pathway.

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.

Bound to interact: The divergent goals and complex interplay of attachment and sex within romantic relationships

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurit E. Birnbaum
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Sexual Partners ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Relationship Development ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Behavioral Systems ◽  
Sexual Systems ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Sexual Mating

Attachment and sexual mating are distinct behavioral systems that serve different evolutionary functions. Although their behavioral manifestations may occur in isolation, romantic partners typically function simultaneously as sexual partners and as attachment figures. In recent years, researchers have focused their attention on the complex interplay between attachment processes and the sexual aspects of romantic love. In this manuscript, I review research that demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between these two systems. I also present new findings concerning whether and how reactions characteristic of the sexual system serve attachment-related goals, primarily in situations that call for distress regulation, and how these reactions are moderated by attachment insecurities. The research conducted to date points to the need for us to understand how the attachment and sexual systems mutually influence each other at different stages of relationship development.

scholarly journals Preprint: Perception of Communal Motives in Couples: Accuracy, Bias, and their Associations with Relationship Length

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Pusch ◽  
Felix D. Schönbrodt ◽  
Caroline Zygar-Hoffmann ◽  
Birk Hagemeyer
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Length ◽  
Biasing Effects ◽  
Motivational Bias

Can romantic partners accurately perceive each other’s communal motives, or are these perceptions biased by their own motivational hopes and fears? This study used datafrom N = 1,905 partnered participants to examine the extent to which partnerperceptions of communal motives correspond to targets’ (accuracy) and perceivers’(motivational bias) explicit and implicit communal motives. Our results indicate thatexplicit communal motives and implicit communal approach motives can be (a)accurately inferred and (b) positively bias communal motive perception. Furthermore,there was no evidence for moderation of either accuracy or motivational bias byrelationship length. These findings point to the early visibility of both implicit andexplicit motives in couples, as well as their persistent biasing effects on partnerperception.

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