Domains of Expressive Interaction in Intimate Relationships: Associations with Satisfaction and Commitment

Abstract

People who are married to each other or are seriously involved with one another vary in how much time they spend together. Research has shown that partners who spend considerable time together tend to be more satisfied with their relationships than partners who do not. For example, Reissman, Aron, and Bergen (1993) reported that the average correlation between time spent together and marital satisfaction, as found in five separate studies, was .40. It is probably safe to assume that the causal link between time spent together and relationship satisfaction is bidirectional: time spent together increases relationship satisfaction and relationship satisfaction increases the desire to spend time together (Vangelisti & Banski, 1993; White, 1983; Zuo, 1992). However, we cannot assume that all activities in which couples engage while together are equally salient in their appraisal of relationship satisfaction. Some types of interactions may be more relationally consequential than others. Furthermore, we cannot assume that the same activities that contribute to partners' feelings of satisfaction are necessarily related in the same way to their commitment to remain in the relationship. Satisfaction and commitment are distinguishable relationship properties (Johnson, 1991; Kelley, 1983; Rusbult, 1983). The main purpose of this investigation is to examine how certain types of expressive interaction or joint activities are related to satisfaction and commitment in intimate relationships. Thus, this study can inform therapists who are sometimes asked by distressed couples: What can we do to restore or maintain our satisfaction (or commitment)? We also look at the interrelationships among the different types of expressive interactions and the relationship between satisfaction and commitment (the two relationship outcome variables). Domains of Expressive Interaction Scholars have distinguished between two general categories of coordinated activity in marriage: instrumental and expressive (e.g., Fitzpatrick & Indvik, 1982; Parsons & Bales, 1955; Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988). Although partners spend time together in instrumental activities (e.g., raising children, maintaining a household, or earning income), the expressive dimension is often considered the heart of a relationship. The expressive area of a relationship has been further divided into three basic domains. As described by Scanzoni and Scanzoni (1988), these domains are: companionship (someone to be with and do things with), empathy (someone who listens, understands, and cares), and physical affection (someone with whom love can be expressed through touch, caresses, and sexual intercourse) (p. 314). They also state that the expressive side of the relationship includes behaviors for establishing and maintaining personal relationships, including empathy, showing affection, and warmth. It is in the expressive dimension of the relationship that rewards associated with interactions are most likely to contribute to the partners' satisfaction and commitment(Duck, 1982). Although the three domains of interaction focus on somewhat different interactional properties, we expect that assessments of the quality of these three domains of interaction are positively associated. This hypothesis is based, in part, on the fact that an increase in the quality of one type of interactional activity tends to increase the quality of the others. Through their leisure activities together, couples both find and create things to talk about. Furthermore, couples usually converse while they are recreating together. Leisure time together can also contribute to an active sex life because the positive feelings generated by shared enjoyable experiences can enhance mutual sexual desire Intimate partners may talk about personal issues before and after sex, and communication in one way (verbally) is likely to facilitate communication in another way (nonverbally, as through touching and sex) (Cupach & Comstock, 1990). …