Positive Relationship Outcomes Research Articles

Fostering Consumer–Brand Relationships in Social Media Environments: The Role of Parasocial Interaction

As brands solidify their place in social media environments, consumers' expectations have amplified, thus spurring the development of technologies to assist with the engagement process. Understanding the ways in which brands can preserve the one-to-one characteristics and intimate relationship qualities offered by social media while still meeting consumer expectations amidst the escalating volume of interactions has become essential. Drawing on the communications literature, this research proposes that parasocial interaction (PSI) theory may be used as a theoretical lens for designing successful social media strategies. Three studies, using a multi-method approach, provide evidence of PSI's role in the development of positive relationship outcomes. Mediation analysis reveals that this sense of feeling connected with the brand goes beyond the interaction itself and drives increased feelings of loyalty intentions and willingness to provide information to the brand. Evidence from this research suggests that these effects may not hold when consumers are aware of the possibility that the brand's social media response may be automated. These findings offer marketers theoretical guidance for fostering relationships in social media environments.

Key account relationships: An exploratory inquiry of customer-based evaluations

The management and retention of key accounts is imperative in facilitating a firm's long-term viability. Previous examinations of key account relationships have revealed valuable insights into the factors facilitating key account management and driving relationship strength. However, account managers often fail to recognize weaknesses within their existing key accounts and the sources of their relationship vulnerabilities. Utilizing an exploratory inquiry of in-depth interviews with 99 executive decision makers across 52 key accounts cases, the authors assess customer relationship evaluations prior to contract expirations for account retention opportunities valued at over $1.3billion. Unique positive and negative drivers of key account relationship evaluations are identified in a thematic categorization, along with a subsequent content analysis highlighting their patterned associations with positive and negative relationship evaluations, future business intentions, and business referral behaviors. These patterned associations reveal that positive and negative perceptions of relational drivers often affect outcomes in a differential manner, resulting in a classification of conventional constructs, prevention constructs, and promotion constructs. The results indicate that the desire of a supplier to maximize positive relational outcomes or minimize negative relational outcomes is driven by distinct underlying associations and allow for insights into resource allocation strategies within key account relationships.

Support Utilization by Partners of Self-Identified Sex Addicts

This online survey examined the support resources used by partners of sex addicts. Partners (N = 92) answered questions about which sources of support they found most useful, relationship functioning, and demographic and background variables. Partners rated therapists, spirituality, support groups, and friends as most useful; and the mate, their children, and their other family members as least useful. Participants indicated that they used intrapersonal religious/spiritual activities (e.g., prayer and meditation) more than interpersonal religious/spiritual activities (e.g., religious services and support groups). Older partners sought more religious/spiritual support, and more educated partners rated therapy as more useful. Rating the mate as useful was most strongly associated with positive relationship outcomes. The authors conclude with recommendations for working with partners of sex addicts.

The Effectiveness of Explicit Demand and Emotional Expression Apology Cues in Predicting Victim Readiness to Accept an Apology

This study examines the effects of apology cues following a relational transgression. Three competing theoretical explanations are examined in a test of two types of cues a victim might use to encourage an apology: An emotional expression cue in which the victim states the negative outcomes of the transgression and an explicit demand cue in which the victim demands an apology directly. We cross completely emotional expression and explicit demand cues in an experimental design to compare their independent and conjoint effects on the victims' psychological readiness to accept an apology. Results suggest that both cue types are associated with more positive relational outcomes than a spontaneous apology.

Impact of Disclosure of Relapse for Self-Identified Sexual Addicts

Disclosure as a process of both recovery and healing within committed relationships is advocated by couple and addiction therapists. The traumatic impact for partners of an initial disclosure or discovery of betrayals has been well documented, but less is known about the impact of disclosure for sex addicts. The present study explored the experience of relapse and disclosure among sex addicts. Relapse was a common experience among sex addicts, and the disclosure of relapse had a range of consequences for the addict and the relationship. Voluntary disclosure of relapse (rather than the partner discovering relapses independently) was associated with positive relational outcomes.

Love on the Margins

National data on romantic relationships reveal a prominent gap between members of devalued and dominant groups in the United States, with devalued group members experiencing less positive relationship outcomes. However, little research examines how social stigma affects relationship quality for members of devalued groups and moderating factors have generally not been explored in the literature. In the current studies, we experimentally examined the effects of social stigma on relationship quality among women (Study 1) and African Americans (Study 2) as well as whether these effects differed based upon relationship length (Studies 1 and 2). Results showed that individuals involved in shorter relationships reported lesser relationship quality after social stigma was made salient, while those involved in longer relationships reported somewhat greater relationship quality after social stigma was made salient. Implications for future research on social stigma and relationship quality as well as moderating factors are discussed.

Romantic Jealousy and Relationship Satisfaction: The Costs of Rumination

The experience of romantic jealousy and its influence on relationship outcomes is unclear. Romantic jealousy is often associated with damaging effects; on the other hand, jealousy is linked to positive relationship outcomes such as increased commitment. In this study, we aimed to address inconsistencies in previous research by proposing rumination as a mediator between romantic jealousy (cognitive jealousy and surveillance behaviors) and relationship dissatisfaction. We also aimed to extend our understanding of behavioral responses to jealousy, and in particular, partner surveillance and its link to relational dissatisfaction by proposing a research question. Overall, there were two paths to relationship dissatisfaction: Cognitive jealousy and surveillance behaviors were associated with relationship dissatisfaction via rumination, and cognitive jealousy was also directly associated with relationship dissatisfaction. Interestingly, surveillance behaviors were directly associated with relationship satisfaction. From these results, rumination is highlighted as a factor in explaining the link between romantic jealousy and relationship dissatisfaction. Clinical implications are discussed.

The alliance in relationship education programs.

Couple relationship education (CRE) programs are associated with positive romantic relationship outcomes; however, the mechanisms by which these gains occur are less understood. The current study (122 couples) utilized actor-partner modeling to examine the association between the therapeutic alliance and dedication and negative and positive communication for racial/ethnic minority couples. Additionally, we examined whether gender and delivery format moderated these relationships. Results demonstrated that both men's and women's alliance scores were significantly related to their own outcomes. Higher ratings of alliance were related to partner outcomes for men only. The association between partners' alliance and dedication outcomes was stronger within the group format as compared to the couple format. Implications for leaders of CRE programs are offered.

Opposites Fit: Regulatory Focus Complementarity and Relationship Well-Being

Two studies of romantic couples examined the circumstances under which complementary goal-pursuit strategies (specifically, the pairing of a relationship partner who prefers to pursue goals eagerly with a relationship partner who prefers to pursue goals vigilantly) lead to positive relationship outcomes. As hypothesized, couples who reported higher levels of goal congruence (Study 1) or greater self-other overlap (Study 2) benefited from complementary regulatory focus orientations. We suggest that such benefits stem from the advantages provided by the availability of both eager and vigilant strategic preferences, which allow complementary couples to “divide and conquer” goal pursuits as a unit so that both relationship partners can take on their preferred eager or vigilant strategic role. We further suggest that goal congruence is necessary to capitalize on these proposed advantages of complementary eager or vigilant goal-pursuit strategies.

The Influence of Teaching Methodology on Student Social Interaction

In this paper, we explore the effects of various teaching methodologies on the social interactions reported by university students in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver. Specifically, we will answer the question: How do different teaching methodologies affect the formation of network ties among students in a university classroom? We implement a novel research design, in which we operationalize the impact of alternative teaching methodologies on social interactions, specifically the number and quality of dyadic relationships between students in university classrooms. We find that online classes tend to have fewer, but more frequent interactions among students, more diversity among interactions, and greater likelihood that students perceive other students as influential to their learning. In primarily lecture classes, students reported fewer connections, but similar to online students’ interactions, the interactions were frequent and influential. We conclude that teaching in an online environment has its own strengths in terms of student relationships; that working in groups offers fewer positive relational outcomes than expected; that the experience of the lecturer has a surprising influence on relationships among students; and that student types affect relationships in fairly predictable ways.

The Positive Aspects of Being the Parent of an LGBTQ Child

Parenting an LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) identified child presents unique opportunities for growth and development. This study focused on self-reported perceptions of the positive aspects of being the parent of an LGBTQ child. Participants (N = 142) were mothers (83.8%) and fathers (16.2%) of LGBTQ identified individuals who responded to an open-ended online survey. Thematic analysis revealed five primary themes: Personal Growth (open mindedness, new perspectives, awareness of discrimination, and compassion), Positive Emotions (pride and unconditional love), Activism, Social Connection, and Closer Relationships (closer to child and family closeness). The practice implications of these findings for supporting parents in envisioning positive relationship outcomes for themselves and their children are highlighted in the discussion.

Partner Reactions to Disclosure of Relapse by Self-Identified Sexual Addicts

This study examined the experience of relapse and disclosure from the perspective of the partner who is in a committed relationship with a sex addict. Partners (N = 92) answered questions related to the first disclosure of sex addiction, experiences of relapse, the effect of relapse on the self and relationship, and reasons partners decided to stay vs. leave the relationship. In general, relapse was a common experience, and had a wide range of (mostly) negative consequences. Partners often viewed themselves as a victim of interpersonal relational trauma. Honesty and clarity surrounding relapses and disclosures were related to more positive relational outcomes.

A dark side of positive illusions? Associations between the love-is-blind bias and the experience of jealousy

Previous work has shown that the tendency to positively perceive a romantic partner’s physical attractiveness (i.e., the love-is-blind bias) is associated with positive self and relationship outcomes. Here, we examined possible associations between the love-is-blind bias and a negative relational outcome, namely the experience of jealousy. A total of 217 participants provided ratings of the overall physical attractiveness of the self and their romantic partners and also completed measures of three types of jealousy (anxious, reactive, and possessive), lovestyles, and relationship satisfaction. Results showed that the love-is-blind bias positively predicted the experience of anxious jealousy even after controlling for the effects of lovestyles and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, the love-is-blind bias was significantly and positively correlated with possessive jealousy, but did not emerge as a significant predictor once the effects of lovestyles had been taken into account. Finally, the love-is-blind bias was not significantly correlated with reactive jealousy. These results indicate that the love-is-blind bias may have a negative relational outcome.

The Interactive Role of Implicit and Explicit Partner Evaluations on Ongoing Affective and Behavioral Romantic Realities

Past research on close relationships has increasingly focused on the assessment of implicit constructs to shed new light on relationship processes. However, virtually nothing is known about the role of such constructs in understanding ongoing affective and behavioral romantic realities and how implicit and explicit relationship constructs interact in the context of daily relationship outcomes. Using a 21-day diary approach, the present research examined the unique and interactive role of implicit partner evaluations and explicit partner perceptions on relationship outcomes (daily relationship quality and positive relationship behaviors enacted toward partner). Results showed that more positive implicit partner evaluations uniquely predicted more positive relationship outcomes during the 21-day diary period, but that this was especially pronounced in individuals who did not explicitly perceive their partner’s attributes in an overly positive manner. Implications for the close relationship literature are discussed.

Need fulfillment and stay–leave behavior

Need fulfillment has been found to be associated with numerous positive relationship outcomes, but its impact on stay–leave behavior is less clear. In the current study, we considered whether the fulfillment of different needs might differentially affect stay–leave behavior. We distinguished between needs that are personal in nature and those that are relational in nature. Central to our theoretical analysis is the interdependence-based contention that the fulfillment of different kinds of needs provides diagnostic information regarding a partner’s motives and intentions regarding a relationship. Using two-wave longitudinal data obtained from romantically involved participants, we tested the relative fit of two alternative models that specified the associations between the fulfillment of different kinds of needs, commitment, and stay–leave behavior. Consistent with an interdependence approach, we found that the influence of the fulfillment of personal needs on stay–leave behavior was mediated by commitment, whereas the fulfillment of relational needs directly influenced stay–leave behavior. Implications for relationship functioning are considered.

Agentic and Communal Traits and Health

The authors examined whether agentic and communal traits are associated with relationship and health outcomes among adolescents with and without diabetes. They interviewed 263 teens (average age 12; 132 Type 1 diabetes; 131 healthy) on an annual basis for 5 years. The authors measured agency, communion, unmitigated agency, and unmitigated communion as well as parent and peer relationship quality, psychological distress, and diabetes health. In concurrent and lagged multilevel models, unmitigated communion and unmitigated agency were associated with poor relationship outcomes and greater psychological distress for those with and without diabetes. In lagged analyses, unmitigated communion predicted deterioration in diabetes health. Communion and agency were associated with positive relationship and health outcomes, with the former being stronger than the latter. These results underscore the need to focus on unmitigated agency and unmitigated communion when studying the implications of personality for health during adolescence.

An investigation into the role of IT integration, relationship predictability and routinization in interfirm relationships: From the structuration perspective

Recognizing the influence of information technology (IT) in interfirm buyer–seller relationships, the authors draw on structuration theory and its extension as a theoretical basis for understanding the benefits of IT in customer relationships. The authors propose that IT integration gives rise to certain factors in interfirm relationships, i.e., predictability and routinization, which facilitate high quality relationships, i.e., those characterized by reciprocity and stability, which in turn enhance firm performance. Hypotheses are tested on data collected from 152 firms. The results show that relationship predictability is critical in linking IT integration to positive relationship outcomes, and that routinization reinforces the impact on those outcomes.

Not “capitalizing” on social capitalization interactions: The role of attachment insecurity.

Capitalization interactions, in which partners share positive events, typically produce positive relationship outcomes (Gable, Gonzaga, & Strachman, 2006). However, the limiting conditions of these interactions have not been examined. In this study, 101 dating couples discussed a positive event in the life of each partner. Ratings of perceived responsiveness were made by both the romantic partner who disclosed a positive event and his/her responding partner. Trained observers then rated each videotaped interaction. More avoidantly attached responders reported being and were rated by coders as less responsive, particularly if their disclosing partners were more anxiously attached. Avoidantly attached individuals also underestimated their partners' responsiveness relative to observer ratings. Anxious responders underestimated their own responsiveness when their disclosing partners were more avoidantly attached. These results indicate that insecurely attached individuals are relatively less likely to be responsive and to perceive responsiveness in capitalization interactions than are more securely attached individuals. This is especially true when highly anxious and highly avoidant individuals are relationship partners.

Attachment styles and relationship quality: Actual, perceived, and ideal partner matching

Attachment dimension matching in dating relationships and how matching relates to relationship quality were investigated. Across 2 studies, individuals preferred similar but more secure partners (lower anxiety and lower avoidance) as reflected by their ideals. In Study 1, greater similarity between the self and perceptions of the partner's anxiety predicted more positive relationship outcomes (e.g., relationship satisfaction, trust). Similar results were found for ideal–perceived partner avoidance similarity, whereas ideal–perceived partner anxiety similarity was less important. Study 2 involved both partners in the relationship and indicated that relationship outcomes were predicted by the actor's and partner's attachment dimensions as well as by ideal–perceived partner similarity and self–perceived partner similarity.

Dispositional authenticity and romantic relationship functioning

The present study investigates the extent to which dispositional authenticity is associated with dating couples’ relationship behaviors and outcomes as well as their personal well-being. Sixty two heterosexual couples completed a measure of dispositional authenticity ( Kernis & Goldman, 2006), as well as measures of relationship behaviors (e.g., accommodation, self-disclosure, and trust), relationship outcomes, and well-being. Results revealed that authenticity was related to engaging in healthy relationship behaviors, which in turn predicted positive relationship outcomes and greater personal well-being. Interestingly, men’s authenticity predicted women’s relationship behaviors, but women’s dispositional authenticity was not associated with men’s relationship behaviors. The implications of dispositional authenticity and the contribution of gender roles are discussed.