Dyadic perceptions of goals, conflict strategies, and perceived resolvability in serial arguments

Abstract

Romantic partners’ dyadic perceptions of their goals and conflict strategies in ongoing, unresolved conflict are examined in relation to one another and to these serial arguments’ perceived resolvability. Specifically, elements of Bevan, Finan, and Kaminsky’s ((2008) Modeling serial arguments in close relationships: The serial argument process model, Human Communication Research, 34, 600–624) serial argument process model were considered here as dyadic perceptions. Eighty-four romantic partners completed surveys that measured their self-reports of perceived resolvability and self- and perceived partner reports of serial argument goal importance and conflict strategy usage. Whereas there were relatively more self-perception/actor effects for goal importance and conflict strategy usage, there were more partner perception/partner conflict strategy usage effects on perceived resolvability. The implications of these findings for the dyadic consideration of serial arguments and Bevan et al.’s model are presented.