Do extrinsic goals affect romantic relationships? The role of basic psychological need satisfaction

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to examine how individuals’ intrinsic and extrinsic goals were related to their relationship well-being as mediated by basic psychological need satisfaction. In Study 1, a survey was administered to 96 participants who were in romantic relationships. The results showed that individuals’ perceptions of their partners’ extrinsic and intrinsic goals were associated with their relationship satisfaction in opposite directions, and that these relations were mediated by their basic psychological need satisfaction. Using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model, Study 2 investigated how basic psychological need satisfaction mediated the association between extrinsic and intrinsic goals and relationship well-being among 104 dyads who were in romantic relationships. The results suggested that the dyads’ intrinsic goals were positively associated with basic need satisfaction while their extrinsic goals showed the reverse relation, and that basic psychological need satisfaction mediated the relations between extrinsic and intrinsic goals and relationship well-being. The negative association between extrinsic goal pursuits and relationship well-being was the same regardless of the individuals’ or their partners’ level of extrinsic goals.