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Effects of relational transgressions on idealization of and disillusionment with one's romantic partner: A three‐wave longitudinal study
Author(s) -
Niehuis Sylvia,
Reifman Alan,
Oldham Cary Rebecca
Publication year - 2019
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.12287
Subject(s) - idealization , psychology , romance , competence (human resources) , partner effects , developmental psychology , social psychology , longitudinal study , psychoanalysis , physics , statistics , mathematics , quantum mechanics
In this three‐wave study ( n = 121 couples), we tested whether one couple‐member's relational transgressions (high and low severity) at Wave 1 predicted less idealization on warmth and competence traits and greater disillusionment by the partner at the next two waves. It was hypothesized that (a) greater frequency of the target partner's severe transgressions in 1 month would be needed to reduce how much the other partner idealized the target in the competence domain, (b) higher frequency of even relatively less severe transgressions would lower the partner's idealization of the target in the warmth domain, and (c) any transgressions would raise perceivers' disillusionment. Longitudinal analyses (controlling for earlier idealization and disillusionment) substantially supported predictions.