Couple Identity Gaps, the Management of Conflict, and Biological and Self-Reported Stress in Romantic Relationships

Anne F. Merrill; Tamara D. Afifi

doi:10.1111/hcre.12110

Divided Together: How Marginalization of Intercultural Relationships Is Associated With Identity Integration and Relationship Quality

Social Psychological and Personality Science ◽

10.1177/1948550620962653 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 194855062096265

Author(s):

Maya A. Yampolsky ◽

Alexandria L. West ◽

Biru Zhou ◽

Amy Muise ◽

Richard N. Lalonde

Keyword(s):

Cultural Identity ◽

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Quality ◽

Cultural Identities ◽

Identity Integration ◽

Intercultural Relationships ◽

Intercultural Couples ◽

Couple Identity

Despite the growing prevalence of intercultural romantic relationships—in which partners identify with different racial, national, or religious backgrounds—people in intercultural relationships still face marginalization and disapproval from others. Relationship marginalization sends a message to couples that they do not belong together, and partners may feel that their cultural identity and their relationship are disconnected. Two studies—one study of people in intercultural relationships and one of both members of intercultural couples—showed that when people perceived greater relationship marginalization, they were more likely to separate their couple identity from their cultural identity or believe they had to choose between these identities and they were less likely to integrate these identities. Less integration and more separation between a person’s couple and cultural identities was associated with lower relationship quality for both partners. The findings suggest that marginalization can create challenges for the maintenance and quality of intercultural relationships.

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Narcissism and Perceived Inequity in Attractiveness in Romantic Relationships

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000025 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 295-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Elke Rohmann ◽

Hans-Werner Bierhoff ◽

Martina Schmohr

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Gender Effect ◽

Dyadic Analysis ◽

Dyadic Data ◽

Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽

Narcissistic Personality ◽

Intraclass Correlations ◽

Narcissistic Personality Inventory ◽

Additional Variance

In three studies of romantic relationships (N = 253, N = 81, and N = 98) the hypothesis was tested that high narcissists, relative to low narcissists, distort the assessment of equity in attractiveness. Narcissism was measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. In Study 1 the hypothesis was confirmed. In Study 2 it was shown that although narcissism correlated significantly with self-esteem, it was the unique variance in narcissism which predicted the tendency to feel underbenefited in respect to attractiveness. Finally in Study 3, dyadic data were analyzed on the basis of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. The data of 49 couples who lived together were included. The dyadic analysis indicated that actor narcissism exerted the expected influence on perceived inequity in attractiveness, whereas partner narcissism explained no additional variance. High narcissists felt more underbenefited than low narcissists. The analysis of dyadic data in Study 3 indicates that the link between narcissism and equity in attractiveness turns out to be an intrapersonal phenomenon because only actor narcissism, not partner narcissism, is significantly correlated with perceived inequity. In addition, partial intraclass correlations revealed that if one partner tended to feel underbenefited, the other partner tended to feel overbenefited. The results are explained on the basis of the agentic model of narcissism. All three studies consistently revealed a gender effect indicating that women felt more underbenefited than men in terms of attractiveness.

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Initiating, Maintaining, or Breaking Up?

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000200 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 408-420 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Michela Menegatti ◽

Monica Rubini

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Self Disclosure ◽

Level Of Abstraction ◽

Problematic Relationship ◽

Abstract Language ◽

Language Abstraction

Two studies examined whether individuals vary the level of abstraction of messages composed to achieve the relational goals of initiating, maintaining, and ending a romantic relationships when the goal of communication was self-disclosure or persuading one’s partner. Study 1 showed that abstract language was preferred to disclose thoughts and feelings about initiating a romantic relationship or to persuade the partner to consolidate a long-term one. Study 2 revealed that participants used abstract terms to persuade the partner to continue a problematic relationship and to disclose their thoughts on ending it. These results show that language abstraction is a flexible means to handle individuals’ goals and influence the course of romantic relationships.

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