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Endorsing benevolent sexism magnifies willingness to dissolve relationships when facing partner‐ideal discrepancies
Author(s) -
HAMMOND MATTHEW D.,
OVERALL NICKOLA C.
Publication year - 2014
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/pere.12031
Subject(s) - trustworthiness , ideal (ethics) , social psychology , psychology , partner effects , epistemology , philosophy
Benevolent sexism ( BS ) contains prescriptive partner expectations that should foster an intolerance of discrepancies between partners and warmth/trustworthiness ideal standards. This longitudinal study tested whether endorsing BS magnifies the degree to which warmth/trustworthiness partner‐ideal discrepancies are associated with willingness to dissolve relationships. Heterosexual couples ( N = 88) reported their partner‐ideal discrepancies, willingness to dissolve the relationship, and their partner's willingness to dissolve the relationship every 3 months for 1 year. Greater partner‐ideal discrepancies were associated with subsequent increases in willingness to dissolve the relationship, but this was stronger for people who endorsed BS . Partners of women who endorsed BS also perceived this greater willingness to dissolve the relationship. These results demonstrate that the prescriptions within BS undermine the stability of ongoing relationships.