Machine learning uncovers the most robust self-report predictors of relationship quality across 43 longitudinal couples studies

Given the powerful implications of relationship quality for health and well-being, a central mission of relationship science is explaining why some romantic relationships thrive more than others. This large-scale project used machine learning (i.e., Random Forests) to 1) quantify the extent to which relationship quality is predictable and 2) identify which constructs reliably predict relationship quality. Across 43 dyadic longitudinal datasets from 29 laboratories, the top relationship-specific predictors of relationship quality were perceived-partner commitment, appreciation, sexual satisfaction, perceived-partner satisfaction, and conflict. The top individual-difference predictors were life satisfaction, negative affect, depression, attachment avoidance, and attachment anxiety. Overall, relationship-specific variables predicted up to 45% of variance at baseline, and up to 18% of variance at the end of each study. Individual differences also performed well (21% and 12%, respectively). Actor-reported variables (i.e., own relationship-specific and individual-difference variables) predicted two to four times more variance than partner-reported variables (i.e., the partner’s ratings on those variables). Importantly, individual differences and partner reports had no predictive effects beyond actor-reported relationship-specific variables alone. These findings imply that the sum of all individual differences and partner experiences exert their influence on relationship quality via a person’s own relationship-specific experiences, and effects due to moderation by individual differences and moderation by partner-reports may be quite small. Finally, relationship-quality change (i.e., increases or decreases in relationship quality over the course of a study) was largely unpredictable from any combination of self-report variables. This collective effort should guide future models of relationships

A prototype matching model of satisfaction in same-sex friendships

The hypothesis that people experience greater friendship satisfaction when their friendship matches the prototype of intimacy interactions was tested. Consistent with this hypothesis, both women and men reported the greatest satisfaction when their "real-world" friendship matched the prototype of intimacy interactions. This relation was even stronger when the friendship matched prototypical intimacy interaction patterns (e.g., self-disclosure) than when it matched nonprototypical patterns (e.g., practical support). Thus, there is evidence that people rely on relational knowledge-in this case, complex knowledge of patterns of relating-when evaluating the quality of their friendships

Responses to dissatisfaction in friendships and romantic relationships: An interpersonal script analysis

According to interpersonal script models, people’s responses to relational events are shaped by the reaction they expect from a close other. We analyzed responses to dissatisfaction in close relationships from an interpersonal script perspective. Participants reported on how a close friend or romantic partner would react to their expressions of dissatisfaction (using the exit-voice-loyalty-neglect typology). They were also asked to forecast whether the issue would be resolved (i.e., anticipated outcomes). Our main hypothesis was that people’s expectations for how a close other would respond to dissatisfaction would be dependent on their own self response. Further, we predicted that passive responses would be more common and viewed as less deleterious to a friendship than a romantic relationship. Results indicated that the responses that were expected from close others were contingent on how self responded. Moreover, as predicted, these contingencies followed different tracks depending on the type of relationship. Friends were more likely to expect passive responses to self’s expression of dissatisfaction, especially if self responded with neglect, whereas romantic partners expected more active responses. Furthermore, people anticipated that the issue would be more likely to be resolved if their friend (vs. romantic partner) responded passively and less actively (especially for destructive responses). It was concluded that people hold complex, nuanced interpersonal scripts for dissatisfaction and that these scripts vary, depending on the relationship context

Development of a prototype-based measure of relational boredom

The goal of this research was to create a self-report measure of relational boredom using a prototype approach. In the first study, 2 samples (participants in dating relationships and in marital relationships) generated features of the concept of relational boredom. In Study 2, these features were rated for prototypicality by 2 samples (dating and married). A Relational Boredom Scale was constructed by selecting those features (items) that were rated as most central to the construct. In Study 3, the reliability and validity of the scale were assessed, again with participants in dating and marital relationships. There was evidence that the Relational Boredom Scale is a psychometrically sound measurement instrument

The role of friendships in well-being

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value ; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival

A prototype analysis of relational boredom

Boredom has been described as a major obstacle to maintaining lasting love (Aron & Aron (1986). However, empirical research on this important challenge to relationship maintenance has been hampered by the lack of an agreed-upon definition of the construct. We tested the hypothesis that relational boredom is amenable to a prototype conceptualization. In study 1, participants provided prototypicality ratings for the features of relational boredom. Features such as "lack of interest in partner" and "no longer exciting" were considered prototypical of the construct, whereas features such as "nothing in common" and "too similar" were considered nonprototypical. We confirmed this prototype structure in the remaining studies. In study 2, when information that a couple was experiencing boredom was given, participants were more likely to infer that prototypical, than nonprototypical, features characterized the relationship. In study 3, the prototypical features were verified more quickly than the nonprototypical features in a reaction time task. In study 4, when a relationship was described in terms of prototypical, rather than nonprototypical, features of boredom, participants inferred greater boredom in the relationship. Moreover, these inferences were drawn more strongly for boredom than another negative relational state, namely conflict. Implications of these findings for theorizing and research on relational boredom are discussed

Barriers to Participating in Self-Expanding Relationship Activities and the Role of Growth and Destiny Beliefs

New and exciting activities with a partner have been linked to a variety of benefits for intimate relationships; however, less is known about what hinders these activities. The goal of the present research was to examine the barriers that people face when planning shared new and exciting (i.e., self-expanding) relationship activities with their intimate partner and whether some people have traits (i.e., destiny and growth beliefs) that promote persistence in the face of these barriers. Across two studies, participants in intimate relationships reflected on barriers associated with participating in self-expanding activities that they planned with their partner in the past and identified the frequency of these barriers in the past six months (Study 1), and then rated the extent to which barriers interfered with their ability to carry out the activities (Study 1 and 2). In Study 2, participants completed measures of destiny and growth beliefs, and identified their level of enjoyment and desire to participate in similar self-expanding activities in the future. In both studies, we found that participants rated finances, limited resources, and obligations as barriers that interfered the most with activities. Our findings suggest that barriers were more likely to interfere with activities for people higher in destiny beliefs (vs. growth beliefs). Growth beliefs were significantly associated with greater enjoyment from self-expanding activities and a greater likelihood of participating in similar activities in the future (vs. destiny beliefs). Our findings have implications for understanding barriers that couples face when engaging in self-expanding activities in their intimate relationships

Giving in the bedroom: The costs and benefits of responding to a partner’s sexual needs in daily life

A common reason why people in ongoing romantic relationships report engaging in sex with their partner—in addition to pursuing their own pleasure—is to meet their partner’s sexual needs. While meeting a partner’s needs with responsiveness and care is crucial in romantic relationships, it is important, especially in the domain of sexuality, that people do not neglect their own needs when meeting the needs of their partner. In a 21-day daily experience study of both members of 122 romantic couples recruited from the community, we tested whether being responsive to a partner’s sexual needs (i.e., high sexual communal strength) and focusing on a partner’s needs while neglecting one’s own needs (i.e., high unmitigated sexual communion) were associated with both partners’ daily sexual and relationship satisfaction. We also tested attention to positive partner-focused and negative self-focused cues during the sexual experience as novel mechanisms of these effects. The results generally showed that on days when people (or their romantic partner) reported higher sexual communal strength, they reported greater attention to positive partner-focused sexual cues and, in turn, both partners experienced greater daily sexual and relationship satisfaction. In contrast, on days when people reported higher unmitigated sexual communion, they reported greater attention to negative self-focused sexual cues and, in turn, experienced lower relationship and sexual satisfaction, although these effects did not extend to their romantic partner. Implications of the results for promoting higher quality sexual experiences and relationships are discussed