Commitment In Romantic Relationships Research Articles

Intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation as a moderator of key predictors of romantic relationship commitment

Religious individuals often assume that their beliefs promote strong romantic relationships. Yet the empirical evidence is mixed. To better understand this association, this study examined religious orientation as a moderator within the investment model of commitment. A community sample of 84 couples completed measures on religious orientation and commitment as part of a larger study on romantic relationships. The findings indicate that although both religious motivations promote commitment, they do so differently. Specifically, intrinsic religious orientation buffered the negative effects of dissatisfaction in a relationship; whereas an extrinsic religious orientation attenuated the extent to which alternatives to the relationship influenced commitment. Future research in this area should consider religious orientation, rather than overall religiosity, and examine specific predictors of relationship commitment to provide greater clarity on how religiosity influences romantic relationships. Implications for counseling individuals with religious beliefs are also discussed.

Intercultural romantic relationship quality: What is the role of accommodation?

Research comparing the romantic relationship quality of individuals in intercultural and intracultural relationships has yielded inconsistent findings. The current study examined whether accommodation, the process of responding constructively to relationship problems, would reveal new insight on this topic. Undergraduate students ( N = 343) reported on whether they were in an intercultural or intracultural romantic relationship and completed surveys of accommodation, romantic relationship quality, and demographic characteristics. Analyses revealed that individuals in intercultural romantic relationships reported higher romantic relationship commitment and satisfaction than individuals in intracultural romantic relationships. The association of accommodation with romantic relationship commitment was also found to be weaker in the intercultural group than the intracultural group after accounting for age and gender, but not after accounting for ethnicity or relationship length. Overall, results suggest that accommodation may be less relevant for individuals in intercultural romantic relationships, and that ethnicity and relationship length are important factors for understanding the role of accommodation within intercultural romantic relationships. Our findings underscore the importance of examining the possibility of distinct psychological processes in intercultural couples, who comprise an increasingly common form of close relationship.

Correlated Change in Sense of Purpose and Romantic Relationship Quality.

Sense of purpose, or feeling that that one has personally meaningful goals and directions guiding them through life, consistently predicts a variety of desirable well-being, health, and social outcomes. However, work has been limited with respect to evaluating it as a predictor and promoter of romantic relationships, or how purpose may develop in these contexts. For instance, healthy romantic relationships could also help individuals develop and maintain a higher sense of purpose. With cross-sectional evidence finding positive associations between sense of purpose and romantic relationship commitment and satisfaction, the current study expanded on past work by using longitudinal data with three months between two measurement occasions (Time 1: N = 2243; Time 2: N = 1284) to evaluate whether sense of purpose predicted relationship status over time and how changes in relationship quality and sense of purpose were associated. Results showed that greater sense of purpose predicted maintaining a romantic relationship, but did not predict later romantic relationship quality, while higher romantic relationship quality predicted an increase in sense of purpose. Findings are discussed regarding why people with a higher sense of purpose may be more likely to stay in relationships as well as the role that positive romantic relationships may play in helping maintain a higher sense of purpose.

Expanding me, loving us: self-expansion preferences, experiences, and romantic relationship commitment

ABSTRACT Self-expansion is a process through which people increase the size of their self-concept by incorporating novel content into their sense of identity. Greater self-expansion predicts positive outcomes for individuals and romantic relationships. However, there are individual differences in the motivation to self-expand. In the present research, we predicted that the experience of relational self-expansion would be associated with relationship commitment most strongly for people who were more motivated to self-expand. We found support for this hypothesis across three studies (total N = 686), with an online sample of individuals in relationships and two dyadic samples, using both cross-sectional and longitudinal methods. This research suggests that those who are motivated by personal self-expansion and experience self-expansion in their relationships are especially romantically committed.

Asexuality and relationship investment: visible differences in relationship investment for an invisible minority

ABSTRACT Sexual attraction is a component of most romantic relationships, making it difficult to disentangle from other motives to invest in relationships. Despite the lack of sexual attraction that characterises asexuality, many self-identified asexual individuals report the desire to enter a romantic relationship. These understudied individuals provide a unique opportunity to study relationship investment in the absence of sexual attraction. We compared relationship investment, a well-established aspect of interpersonal relationships, between asexual (n = 139) and allosexual (n = 224) individuals. Participants completed a modified Investment Model Scale, which examined satisfaction, quality of alternatives, investment size, and commitment in romantic relationships and friendships. Contrary to our prediction that asexual individuals would invest less than allosexual individuals in romantic relationships, but not in friendships, they reported lower satisfaction, investment size, and commitment, and higher quality of alternatives than did allosexual individuals across both types of relationships. Although lack of sexual attraction could explain lower investment scores in romantic relationships for asexual individuals, some other effect may be responsible for reported differential investment in friendships.

Love Stinks: The Association between Body Odors and Romantic Relationship Commitment.

Anecdotal reports indicate that women dislike their partner’s body odor (BO) during the breakdown of a relationship; however, whether disliking a partner’s BO is associated with intentions to break up has not been empirically tested. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate, for the first time, whether disliking one’s partner’s BOs is associated with experiencing lower commitment to a romantic relationship. Eighty participants (48 partnered, 32 single and previously partnered) completed self-report questionnaires about their current or previous romantic relationship and the amount of exposure to—and hedonic ratings of—their current or former partner’s BOs. Olfactory function was also tested, and participants smelled and rated various pieces of clothing imbued with a stranger’s BO. The results demonstrated that for participants who had experienced a breakup, historically higher levels of relationship commitment were associated with higher hedonic ratings of a previous partner’s BOs, regardless of the type of BOs. For participants currently in a relationship, lower relationship commitment was associated with higher breakup intentions in response to smelling their partner’s BOs. These preliminary results contribute evidence for the positive association between exposure to a partner’s BOs and favorable hedonic appraisals of BOs; however, further research needs to be conducted in this area to investigate nuances. Lower levels of exposure to one’s partner’s BOs may be more indicative of relationship commitment than exposure to hedonically unpleasant BOs of one’s partner. The findings are discussed with reference to their implications for interventions in relationship breakdown.

Latino/a young adults’ experiences of acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, and romantic relationship commitment: Ethnic identity as protective

We examined the direct and indirect effects of acculturative stress via depressive symptoms on romantic relationship commitment, and the moderating role of ethnic identity (EI) in these associations. Participants included 475 Latino/a young adults (61% women; M age = 25 years). Using conditional process modeling, we found that Latino/a young adults experiencing acculturative stress displayed greater depressive symptoms, which in turn, resulted in lower relationship commitment. Acculturative stress was also directly related to relationship commitment. EI buffered the negative effects of acculturative stress on relationship commitment. Discussion focuses on the interplay of EI and depressive symptoms for the relationship commitment of Latino/a young adults experiencing acculturative stress.

Who are "We"? Couple Identity Clarity and Romantic Relationship Commitment.

This research introduces the construct of couple identity clarity-the extent to which an individual, as one of two partners in a romantic relationship, believes that the two of them know who they are as a couple. Cross-sectional (Studies 1-2), experimental (Study 3), and longitudinal (Study 4) studies supported the hypothesis that couple identity clarity is associated with higher commitment. Moreover, higher couple identity clarity, although related to actual agreement between partners on their identity as a couple, predicted commitment above and beyond agreement (Study 2)-as well as predicted reduced likelihood of relationship dissolution over a 9-month period (Study 4). Exploratory analyses revealed that successful conflict resolution may enhance couple identity clarity, in turn predicting commitment (Study 4). These studies highlight the importance of people's understanding of who they are as a couple and how this understanding shapes relationship persistence.

Romantic relationship commitment and the threat of alternatives on social media

AbstractAlthough previous findings suggest a link between adults' use of social networking sites (SNS) and relationship commitment, research has been lacking. This study of 427 emerging and young adults (aged 18–32 years, 71.20% female) indicated that exposure to alternative partners on SNS was indirectly related to relationship commitment through the pursuing of alternative partners on SNS. The more frequently they were exposed to alternative partners on SNS, the more they engaged in pursuing these alternative partners, which negatively affected their relationship commitment. Furthermore, a positive relation between exposure and romantic comparison to alternative partners was found. Gender did not moderate these relations. The discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for relationship development.

연인 간 인스턴트 메시지 이용이 관계 헌신에 미치는 영향 : 사회적 실재감과 긍정적 환상의 효과를 중심으로

연인 간 인스턴트 메시지 이용이 관계 헌신에 미치는 영향 : 사회적 실재감과 긍정적 환상의 효과를 중심으로

Unequally into "Us": Characteristics of Individuals in Asymmetrically Committed Relationships.

This study examined characteristics of individuals that are associated with being in asymmetrically committed relationships (ACRs), defined as romantic relationships in which there was a substantial difference in the commitment levels of the partners. These ACRs were studied in a national sample of unmarried, opposite-sex romantic relationships (N=315 couples). Perceiving oneself as having more potential alternative partners was associated with increased odds of being the less committed partner in an ACR compared to not being in an ACR, as was being more attachment avoidant, having more prior relationship partners, and having a history of extradyadic sex during the present relationship. Additionally, having parents who never married was associated with being the less committed partner in an ACR but parental divorce was not. Although fewer characteristics were associated with being the more committed partner within an ACR, more attachment anxiety was associated with increased odds of being in such a position compared to not being in an ACR. We also address how some findings change when controlling for commitment levels. Overall, the findings advance understanding of commitment in romantic relationships, particularly when there are substantial asymmetries involved. Implications for both research on asymmetrical commitment as well as practice (e.g., therapy or relationship education) are discussed.

Commitment, interpersonal stigma, and mental health in romantic relationships between transgender women and cisgender male partners.

The goals of this study were to: (a) examine associations between interpersonal stigma and psychological distress among a sample of transgender women and their cisgender male partners; and (b) identify whether commitment moderates the association between interpersonal stigma and psychological distress. To address these aims, 191 couples consisting of transgender women and their cisgender male partners completed a one-time survey. Actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were fit to examine stigma, commitment, and their interaction on psychological distress. More frequent experiences of interpersonal stigma were associated with elevated psychological distress for both partners. For transgender women, higher commitment was associated with lower psychological distress. There was a significant interaction effect such that the association between interpersonal stigma and psychological distress was attenuated by greater commitment for transgender women, but not for their cisgender male partners. Findings provide preliminary support for associations between interpersonal stigma and mental health of both partners, and identify commitment as a potential stress buffer for transgender women.

Social Media and Committed Relationships: What Factors Make Our Romantic Relationship Vulnerable?

Many competing social networking websites (SNSs) have gained popularity among Internet users. SNSs offer a new way of communicating with known and unknown connections under the umbrella of “friends.” Online communications can quickly become aggressive as uninhibited users tend to exchange intimate details and are prone to developing an emotional intimacy with their online friends. Research supports that an excessive SNSs use adversely affects romantic relationships due to jealousy, envy, suspicion, surveillance, and infidelity. SNSs use is also linked to low relationship commitment due to the presence of online alternative attractions and also due to the time and emotional investments that are made outside the dyadic relationship. In the current study, we examined 252 married and romantically committed partners (167 females, 85 males) between the ages of 18 to 73 years ( M = 28.27, SD = 12.02). We explored the connection between participants’ age and SNSs addiction and also their age with the total number of SNSs accounts. We further examined whether SNSs addiction is linked to romantic relationship commitment. Lastly, we examined whether SNSs addiction is connected to the total number of SNSs accounts. The results revealed that age is significantly negatively related to SNSs addiction and the total number of accounts. Younger participants had higher SNSs addiction scores and reported having a greater number of SNSs accounts. SNSs addiction was also negatively linked to romantic relationship commitment. Finally, individuals who had higher SNSs addiction scores also reported having a greater number of SNSs accounts than those with low SNSs addiction scores. Results from the present study are pertinent and can help counselors customize a treatment plan based on SNSs users’ age and relationship status.

Commitment among unmarried emerging adults: Meaning, expectations, and formation of relationships

Relational skills gained through forming committed romantic partnerships in emerging adulthood (ages 18–29) provide the foundation for sustained intimacy in later adult relationships. Commitment is a crucial relational factor affecting the quality and longevity of romantic relationships. This qualitative study examined the meaning, expectations, and formation of commitment in romantic relationships among 29 emerging adults using consensual qualitative research methodology. Four categories pertaining to commitment were identified: (a) meaning of commitment; (b) expectations of a committed romantic relationship; (c) considerations made prior to commitment; and (d) experience with commitment talk. Though the majority of the participants could readily identify meanings and expectations of a committed romantic relationship, they hesitated to communicate their desire with their partners. Clinical implications are discussed.

Relationships at risk: How the perceived risk of ending a romantic relationship influences the intensity of romantic affect and relationship commitment

Drawing on emotional intensity theory (EIT: Brehm in Personality and Social Psychology Review 3:2–22, 1999; Brehm and Miron in Motivation and Emotion 30:13–30, 2006), this experiment (N = 104) shows how the manipulated risk of ending a romantic relationship influences the intensity of romantic affect and commitment. As predicted by EIT, the intensity of both romantic feelings varied as a cubic function of increasing levels of manipulated risk of relationship breakup (risk not mentioned vs. low vs. moderate vs. high). Data additionally showed that the effects of manipulated risk on romantic commitment were fully mediated by feelings of romantic affect. These findings complement and extend prior research on romantic feelings (Miron et al. in Motivation and Emotion 33:261–276, 2009; Miron et al. in Journal of Relationships Research 3:67–80, 2012) (a) by highlighting the barrier-like properties of manipulated risk of relationship breakup and its causal role in shaping romantic feelings, and (b) by suggesting that any obstacle can systematically control—thus, either reduce or enhance—the intensity of romantic feelings to the extent that such obstacles are perceived as ‘risky’ for the fate of the relationship.

Asymmetrically committed relationships

This study compared romantic relationships in which there was a substantial difference (>1 SD) in the commitment levels of the two partners to those with more equal levels. These asymmetrically committed relationships (ACRs) were studied in a national, longitudinal sample of unmarried, opposite-sex romantic relationships ( N = 315 couples); 64.8% ( n = 204) of relationships were categorized as non-ACRs, 22.8% were ACRs in which the male partner was less committed than the female partner ( n = 72), and 12.4% ( n = 39) were ACRs in which the female partner was less committed than the male partner. Those who were cohabiting or who had children together were more likely to be in ACRs than those without these characteristics. Compared to those not in ACRs, the less committed partners in ACRs (referred to as “weak links”) reported lower relationship adjustment, more conflict, and more aggression in their relationships; however, these differences were explained by their low levels of commitment. The more committed partners in ACRs (“strong links”) also reported lower relationship adjustment, more conflict, and more aggression than those not in ACRs, even when controlling for their levels of commitment (which were also higher, on average, than those not in ACRs); this finding is noteworthy given that high levels of commitment usually inhibit conflict and aggression. Relationships in which the female partner was the weak link were more likely to break up within 2 years (54%) than those with male weak links (29%) or non-ACRs (34%). However, asymmetrical commitment was not nearly as important a predictor of breakup as females’ levels of commitment. The findings advance the understanding of asymmetrical commitment in romantic relationships and highlight the value of studying both members of a couple in research on commitment.

Being Committed

Few studies have examined adolescents’ understanding of romantic relationship commitment, particularly among African American youth. Using three waves of semistructured interviews, the present descriptive study addresses this topic by exploring the ways in which 20 African American adolescents (age range 13-19 years) from low-income backgrounds conceptualize and describe commitment in romantic relationships. Qualitative analyses revealed three main themes related to defining commitment, indicating that which commitment provides, and describing the nature of commitment in different relationship contexts. Findings inform psychological research and practice relating to commitment and romantic relationships among African American adolescents.

The forecast model of relationship commitment.

Four studies tested the forecast model of relationship commitment, which posits that forecasts of future relationship satisfaction determine relationship commitment and prorelationship behavior in romantic relationships independently of other known predictors and partially explain the effects of these other predictors. This model was supported in 2 cross-sectional studies, a daily report study, and a study using behavioral observation, informant, and longitudinal methods. Across these studies, forecasts of future relationship satisfaction predicted relationship commitment and prorelationship behavior during relationship conflict and partially explained the effects of relationship satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investment size. These results suggest that representations of the future have a prominent role in interpersonal processes. (PsycINFO Database Record

Commitment in romantic relationships as a function of partners’ encoding of important couple-related memories

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the present study was to investigate how significant couple-related events are encoded in the episodic memory of each partner of a romantic relationship and how they relate to each of these partners’ level of commitment in an independent and additive fashion. Each partner of a couple reported a significant couple-related memory and rated their level of need satisfaction experienced during the event of the memory. In addition, each partner was shown his/her partner’s memory and also rated their own level of need satisfaction for this event. Results showed that partners need satisfaction ratings of their own memory positively predicted their own commitment to the relationship directly (for women) as well as through their need satisfaction generally experienced in the relationship (for men). In addition, men’s need satisfaction ratings of their own memory were associated with women’s commitment while controlling for women’s need satisfaction ratings of men’s memory, but no such cross-partner effects were found for women. Overall, the findings shed light on an initial understanding of how a person’s own memory of an event can impact another person’s attitudes even when taking into account this other person’s memory encoding of that same event.

Romantic Relationship Commitment Behavior Among Emerging Adult African American Men.

Contextual and intrapersonal factors affecting the development of African American men's romantic relationship commitment-related behavior were investigated. Socioeconomic disadvantage during early adolescence was hypothesized to predict harsh, unsupportive parenting practices. Harsh parenting was hypothesized to result in youths' emotion-regulation difficulties, indicated by elevated levels of anger during mid-adolescence, particularly when men were exposed to racial discrimination. Young African American men's anger during mid-adolescence, a consequence of harsh, unsupportive parenting and racial discrimination, was expected to predict commitment-related behavior. Hypotheses were tested with a sample of rural African American men participating in a panel study from the ages of 11 through 21. Data from teachers, parents, and youths were integrated into a multi-reporter measurement plan. Results confirmed the hypothesized associations. Study findings indicate that the combination of harsh parenting and racial discrimination is a powerful antecedent of young men's commitment-related behavior. Anger across mid-adolescence mediated this interaction effect.