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The Effects of Self‐Regulatory Strength, Content, and Strategies on Close Relationships
Author(s) -
Luchies Laura B.,
Finkel Eli J.,
Fitzsimons Gráinne M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of personality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.082
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1467-6494
pISSN - 0022-3506
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00701.x
Subject(s) - regulatory focus theory , extant taxon , psychology , promotion (chess) , social psychology , goal pursuit , positive relationship , political science , evolutionary biology , politics , creativity , law , biology
This article reviews the growing literature on the effects of self‐regulatory strength (how much self‐regulatory ability people have), self‐regulatory content (the goals toward which people self‐regulate), and self‐regulatory strategies (the manner in which people self‐regulate) on close relationships. The extant literature indicates that close relationships benefit when relationship partners (a) have greater versus less self‐regulatory strength, (b) prioritize relationship‐promotion goals versus self‐protection goals, (c) facilitate versus obstruct each other's personal goal pursuits, (d) enact positive relationship behaviors using approach versus avoidance strategies, and (e) pursue shared goals using complementary versus similar regulatory focus strategies. Future research could fruitfully (a) delve deeper into the influences of self‐regulatory content and strategies on relationships and (b) integrate multiple lines of research examining the effects of self‐regulation on relationships.