Communication In Romantic Relationships Research Articles

The Meaning of Toxic Relationship Communication for Teenagers

This research is motivated by the phenomenon of the rise of toxic relationships in romantic relationships among teenagers. This results in depression, suicide attempts due to excessive pressure from the perpetrator. Komnas Perempuan's annual records for 2022 contain 3,528 data on cases of violence in romantic relationships. The aim of this research is to explain the motives, experiences and meaning of toxic relationship communication in romantic relationships for teenagers in Garut Regency. The research method used is a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. Phenomenological theory becomes the scalpel in this research to obtain an explanation for the phenomenon of toxic relationships. Data collection techniques through participant observation, in-depth interviews, literature study and documentation. The data analysis techniques in this research are data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The research results show that the motives for toxic relationships in romantic relationships vary, starting from internal factors such as obsession, narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), excessive disclosure and external factors such as the surrounding environment and the presence of an ex-lover in a new relationship. The experiences of toxic relationships that many people experience are verbal and nonverbal violence, mild depression to severe depression, trauma, hampered personal development and loss of confidence in having new relationships with other people. The communication meaning of a toxic relationship is one-way communication, a relationship that hurts each other, does not have good expectations from the romantic relationship that is being carried out and the relationship is dominated by only one party.

The relation between perceived partner responsiveness and sexual communication in romantic relationships

Sexual communication can be challenging to initiate. Nevertheless, people with a responsive romantic partner may feel more comfortable with sexual communication. Thus, we examined whether there is an association between partner responsiveness and greater sexual communication, and whether greater sexual communication may potentially mediate associations between responsiveness and positive relationship outcomes (i.e. intimacy types, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction). We recruited participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 119) and a sample of undergraduate students (N = 89) to complete online measures. As hypothesized, partner responsiveness was associated with greater sexual communication. Results from structural equation modeling showed that sexual communication mediated associations between responsiveness and intimacy types, and the association between responsiveness and sexual satisfaction in both samples. Interestingly, sexual communication only mediated the association between responsiveness and relationship satisfaction in the sample of undergraduate students. Other notable differences between the samples are discussed, such as differences in age, relationship length, and sexual satisfaction. These results show the importance of sexual communication for romantic relationships, and that even non-sexual partner characteristics may impact a sexual relationship.

Interpersonal relationships and communication in romantic relationships vs digitization of life

The digitization of life turned out to be both necessary and salutary for maintaining the continuity of functioning of societies and individuals during the pandemic. Meetings with people were mostly held remotely, as were medical and legal consultations or shopping. And although tools for online communication were known before 2020, their heyday and widespread use fell on the years of the pandemic crisis. Today, digitization is largely associated with all spheres of human life, including those that relate to the creation of close interpersonal relationships. The aim of the article is to present the conclusions of scientific considerations on the psychological aspects of interpersonal communication in romantic relationships in the context of the digitization of life. Models and dimensions of communication in romantic relationships and their importance for human functioning are presented. Some psychological aspects of interpersonal communication at three stages of a romantic relationship are discussed, i.e. creating a new, close relationship in the network, duration of the relationship in the digital reality and ending the romantic relationship.

Testing the Role of Attachment Styles in Advice Response Theory

ABSTRACT Previous research has made a call to study how attachment processes affect advice communication in romantic relationships. Examining participants’ perceptions of romantic partner’s advice, using Advice Response Theory and attachment theory, this study sought to determine how attachment styles moderate the associations between perceived advice message factors and implementation. Participants (N = 272) completed an online questionnaire. More avoidant and more anxious participants were less likely to implement advice. Attachment-avoidance moderated the effects of perceived negative facework and confirmation on increased advice implementation. Attachment-anxiety moderated the effects of perceived confirmation on increased advice implementation. Findings provide theoretical support and extension for attachment theory, romantic relationships, and advice.

Attachment Avoidance and Anxiety as Predictors of Confirming and Disconfirming Communication in Romantic Relationships

ABSTRACT The principal aim of this study is to develop a better understanding of the link between attachment orientation and confirming/disconfirming communication in romantic relationships. Based on attachment theory, we predicted that attachment anxiety and avoidance would associate negatively with confirming communication and positively with disconfirming communication in romantic relationships. Results indicated partner attachment anxiety positively associated with the partner’s disconfirming communication and negatively with their confirming communication. We also found that partner avoidant attachment associated positively with one type of disconfirming communication and negatively with confirming communication. In addition, actor avoidance associated positively with one type of disconfirming communication. Finally, we reported that actor anxious and avoidant attachment moderated the effect of partner anxiety on confirming communication.

Sexual destiny and growth beliefs, yuan beliefs, approach sexual motives, and sexual communication in Chinese heterosexual adults

The current research examined the relationships between sexual implicit (destiny and growth) beliefs and yuan beliefs. This research also examined the association between sexual implicit beliefs and sexual communication satisfaction through the mediating role of sexual communal motives and motivation to express emotional value for a partner during sex. Results showed that sexual destiny and growth beliefs were positively related to yuan beliefs. Sexual destiny and growth beliefs were also associated with sexual communication satisfaction through the mediating effects of sexual communal motives and the motivation to express emotional value for a partner during sex. Specifically, high levels of sexual destiny and growth beliefs were associated with high levels of motivation to fulfill a partner’s sexual needs and high levels of inclination to emphasize/express emotional value for a partner during sex; these were also associated with high levels of sexual communication satisfaction. The findings suggest that sexual implicit beliefs may overlap with yuan beliefs, and sexual implicit beliefs and approach sexual motives are important for sexual communication in romantic relationships.

Mobile-Mediated Communication in Romantic Relationships: The Effects of Communication Indicators and Love Attitude on Relationship Quality.

Whether mobile phones benefit or sabotage close relationships has been a persistent subject of debate in media and communication studies. Because previous studies have demonstrated contrasting findings, further studies on this topic are required. Based on media richness theory and social penetration theory, this study investigated the direct and indirect associations between mobile communication and relationship quality (i.e., depth, support, and conflict) in romantic relationships. A survey of 1,000 university students in China revealed that relationship depth was positively predicted by mobile phone calls and negatively predicted by mobile short messages. Mobile WeChat had dialectical effects, as it reinforced relationship depth and support, but increased conflict. Regarding indirect effects, communication quality online positively mediated the effects of mobile phone calls on relationship quality and negatively mediated the effects of mobile short messages and Weibo on relationship quality. Moreover, passionate love attitudes (PLAs) and gender negatively moderated the effects of mobile phone calls on relationship depth, indicating that females and individuals who had stronger PLAs had lower relationship quality when they used mobile phone calls to interact with their romantic partners. The moderating effects of PLA were extended to the indirect relationship between phone calls and relationship quality through communication quality. Overall, this study developed a typology to examine mobile relational communication by integrating the quantity (i.e., mobile use frequencies) and quality of mobile communication, as well as personal attitudes in close relationships.

Distinguishing relational turbulence, marital satisfaction, and parenting stress as predictors of ineffective Arguing among parents of children with autism

Relational turbulence theory suggests that relational turbulence causes pervasive patterns of dysfunctional communication in romantic relationships, such as an inability to resolve conflicts. Other research traditions link marital conflict to marital satisfaction and also exposure to stress. This study assesses the discriminant validity of relational turbulence by examining its association with reports of ineffective arguing, above and beyond the associations with marital satisfaction and parenting stress. The study tests the theoretical claims within the high stress context of parents raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Married, parents of children with ASD ( N = 298) completed measures of parenting stress specific to raising a child with ASD, marital satisfaction, relational turbulence, and ineffective arguing. Results provide evidence that relational turbulence is associated with perceptions of less effective arguing among these parents above and beyond the influence of parenting stress and marital satisfaction. Finally, implications for marriages, for parents of children with ASD, and for relational turbulence theory are discussed.

The Everyday Communication of Commitment: Testing an Integrated Model of Self-Construal, Cognition, Affect, Motivation and Communication

People build and sustain their relationship commitment through their everyday communication. Two studies tested an integrated motivational model exploring the multiple ways relational self-construal, cognition, affect, and goals promote commitment-related communication in romantic relationships. Mediational analyses of survey data showed that when participants had higher relational self-construal, stronger commitment, more positive commitment-related affect, and stronger relationship approach goals, they (a) expressed their commitment to their partners more frequently (Study 1, N = 405) and (b) more often monitored their partner’s expressions of commitment (Study 2, N = 154). The findings underscore the integrated, holistic nature of the everyday communication of commitment.

Interpersonal effects of health-related social control: Positive and negative influence, partner health transformations, and relationship quality

It is common for romantic partners to influence one another’s health maintenance behaviors. Previous research has examined positively and negatively framed social control messages to understand health behavior outcomes and relational affect; however, this study confirms and extends previous research by studying the associations between health transformations (from interdependence theory, health behaviors enacted for the partner) and relationship satisfaction. Data from a cross-sectional dyadic survey of heterosexual couples were analyzed using actor–partner independence models. As expected, dyadic results showed that positive social control was associated with greater healthy and fewer unhealthy partner transformations, whereas negative social control was associated with lower relationship satisfaction and more unhealthy transformations. Further, the breadth of partner health behaviors that individuals attempt to influence moderated the associations between social control and relationship satisfaction and health transformations. We discuss how the results from this study underscore the health implications associated with the nature and breadth of social control communication in romantic relationships.

Relational Turbulence and Marital Communication When Children with Autism Start School: A Longitudinal Dyadic Diary Study

ABSTRACTAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive and often difficult health condition, the consequences of which ripple through family relationships. This paper engages relational turbulence theory, which addresses communication in romantic relationships, and the experiencing life transitions model, from the field of nursing, to examine how communication between parents affects the marital relationship during a major transition in the life of a child with ASD. Transition processing communication (TPC) includes four forms of communication that can help married partners navigate difficult life events: increasing interaction, promoting connection, promoting feeling situated, and increasing confidence in the relationship. This study examines the effects of partners’ TPC on their own and their spouse’s experiences of relational uncertainty, changes in interdependence, and relational turbulence. A total of 33 couples and 60 married, female individuals, parents of a child with ASD who was starting school for the first time, completed a pre-test, 14 dairies, and a post-test; diaries were completed every three days over a 42-day period, beginning on the child’s first day of school. Findings suggest that partners’ engagement in TPC significantly affects some relationship qualities. In addition, an individual’s perceptions of his or her spouse’s communication were a stronger predictor of relational turbulence than the spouse’s self-reported communication. Results point to several implications for understanding the ways in which married partners can protect their marriage in the face of their child’s health-related transitions.

Design of a Massage-Inspired Haptic Device for Interpersonal Connection in Long-Distance Communication

The use of tactile senses in mediated communication has generated considerable research interest in past decades. Since massage is a common practice in Asian cultures, we propose to introduce massage-based interactions in mediated communication between people in a close relationship. We designed a device for distant interactive massage to be used during online conversation and we assessed its effect on interpersonal connection with eight pairs of Chinese participants in romantic relationships. All pairs were asked to engage in a conversation, either through a video call or through a massage-assisted video call. The findings showed that the use of the massage device significantly increased the perceived emotional and physical connection between the users. The results also showed a significant increase in the engagement in the massage activity, e.g., total massage time and average force per finger, from positive conversation to negative conversation, demonstrating an evidence of the interplay between audio-visual and haptic communication. Post hoc interviews showed the potential of the massage device for long-distance communication in romantic relationships as well as in parents-children relationships.

Relational Turbulence Theory: Explaining Variation in Subjective Experiences and Communication Within Romantic Relationships

This essay extends the relational turbulence model as a framework for understanding communication in romantic relationships. Following the relational turbulence model, relational turbulence theory identifies relational uncertainty and interdependence as parameters that shape subjective experiences, but the theory clarifies the theoretical processes underlying their distinctive effects. In addition, relational turbulence theory articulates causal processes linking cognitive appraisals and emotions to communication. Relational turbulence theory also describes how episodes characterized by biased appraisals, intense emotions, and volatile communication coalesce into global evaluations of relationships as turbulent. In turn, the theory addresses the effect of relational turbulence on personal, relational, and social outcomes. Finally, the theory explains how communication can contribute to the development of both turbulence and resilience in romantic relationships.

US Latino adolescents’ use of mass media and mediated communication in romantic relationships

The present study uses uncertainty reduction theory to analyze how Latino adolescents perceive that mass media influence their conceptions of romantic relationships. In addition, we explore how these adolescents use social media in their romantic relationships. Data are from five focus groups with 44 Latino adolescents (M = 16.39 years old; 59% female) in the US Midwest. Findings indicate that Latino adolescents believe media portray unrealistic ideals of romantic relationships, yet these teens also see the portrayals as ideals to which they should aspire. When it comes to social media, the youth perceived one-to-one mediated communication (e.g. Skype) as beneficial to their romantic relationships, but evaluated one-to-many mediated communication (e.g. Facebook, Instagram) as largely negative. Our findings identify three sources of evidence in the latter context that create relational uncertainty: (1) visual, (2) partner communication, and (3) third-party communication.

Understanding Relationships Among the Dark Triad Personality Profile and Romantic Partners’ Conflict Communication

Consistent with calls from prior research, the aim of this study was to understand how reports of the Dark Triad (e.g., subclinical narcissism, subclinical psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) related to conflict communication in romantic relationships. Results indicated that individuals reporting higher levels of the Dark Triad personality structure also reported more frequent disagreement that was also intense and hostile. Moreover, Dark Triad personality reports were directly related to the use of contempt, criticism, stonewalling, and defensiveness, messages collectively known as the Four Horsemen as they predict relational termination (e.g., Gottman, 1993; Gottman & Levenson, 1992). Machiavellianism and subclinical psychopathy were better predictors of conflict communication compared to subclinical narcissism. Findings reinforce that personality is important in understanding conflict communication. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

The role of hope in conflict management and relational maintenance

AbstractRooted in hope theory, this study examined how dispositional and relationship‐specific hope influence communication in romantic relationships. In Study 1a, dispositional hope was positively associated with active and constructive conflict responses and negatively associated with passive and destructive conflict responses. In Study 1b, dispositional hope was mainly a positive predictor of active and constructive responses. Hope was also found to predict certain relational maintenance behaviors. Study 2 then examined the influence of hope in specific relational conflict episodes. Dispositional and relationship‐specific hope predicted unique variance in conflict goals and styles. High‐ relative to low‐hope individuals reported more prorelationship goals and fewer hostility‐domination goals. They also reported greater integrative problem solving and less personal attacking, withdrawal, and third‐party assistance.

Examining Diet- and Exercise-Related Communication in Romantic Relationships: Associations With Health Behaviors

This study examined the association between diet- and exercise-related social influence and support among romantic partners, as well as whether these variables were associated with their health behaviors. An Actor-Partner Mediator Model was used to examine these associations at the couple level (n = 192). Results indicated that individuals who felt their partners used more positive influence strategies also reported feeling more supported by their partners. Further, men who reported feeling more supported by their partners also engaged in healthier diet and exercise behaviors. Overall, the results suggested that people’s perceptions of positive communication (i.e., influence and support) from their partners were generally more likely to be associated with their enactment of healthier behaviors. Implications for intrapersonal as well as interpersonal effects of influence, support, and health behaviors are discussed.

Mobile Communication in Romantic Relationships: Mobile Phone Use, Relational Uncertainty, Love, Commitment, and Attachment Styles

This study examines the associations between mobile phone use and relational uncertainty, love and commitment, and attachment styles. A survey of 197 college students revealed that greater use of mobile voice calls with a romantic partner was associated with lower relational uncertainty and more love and commitment. Also, the higher the avoidance, the less the participants used voice calls, and an interaction effect was found between avoidance and anxiety on voice call use. However, there were no significant results in relation to the use of text messaging. Overall, more mobile calls in romantic relationships are associated with positive relationship qualities.

Social Exchange Orientation and Conflict Communication in Romantic Relationships

Prior research has not conclusively established how individuals' social exchange orientation (EO) affects their communication in, and satisfaction with, romantic relationships. Surveying 466 individuals in romantic relationships, we found that concern about being underbenefitted was more strongly correlated with conflict behaviors than concern about overbenefittedness, and that conflict communication influenced the relationship between exchange orientation and relationship satisfaction. We discuss the need for further research to discover how EO may influence communication patterns as relationships develop.

Designing technologies for presence-in-absence: illustrating the Cube and the Picture Frame

Presence-in-absence is a subjective feeling of a significant other when he or she is not physically co-present and several emerging technologies increasingly aim to support this feeling of presence. However, no established framework for designing presence-in-absence technologies exists. We report on the design and evaluation of two novel technologies for supporting the experience of an absent significant other being present i.e. presence-in-absence. On the basis of a longitudinal field study of communication in romantic relationships, we constructed two technology sketches with the purpose of supporting presence-in-absence by employing graphical code languages: the Cube and the Picture Frame. The results of a subsequent evaluation involving potential users potentially inform the design of future presence-in-absence technologies.