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When does performance feedback prompt complementarity in romantic relationships?
Author(s) -
BEACH STEVEN R. H.,
WHITAKER DANIEL J.,
JONES DEBORAH J.,
TESSER ABRAHAM
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
personal relationships
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.81
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1475-6811
pISSN - 1350-4126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6811.2001.tb00038.x
Subject(s) - complementarity (molecular biology) , romance , psychology , social psychology , developmental psychology , psychoanalysis , biology , genetics
Two studies addressed five issues concerning complementarity in romantic relationships and suggest that complementarity deserves a new look. Dating couples ( N = 28 couples) and married couples ( N = 43). were given performance feedback to assess effects on self and perceived partner relevance. We found that comparison with a partner but not comparison with a stranger prompted complementarity (Study 1). Comparison resulted in complementarity and did not merely change self‐image (Studies 1 and 2). Both outperforming the partner and being outperformed by the partner can prompt complementarity (Study 2). Ceding areas to the partner in response to being outperformed was relatively automatic (Study 2). And, degree of development in the relationship influenced response to comparison‐feedback (Studies 1 and 2). Findings suggest that partners in romantic relationships automatically protect their views of the relationship as a “team” by increasing “perceived complementarity” in response to differential performance feedback.