Partner -esteem: Romantic partners in the eyes of biased beholders
Abstract
Six studies examined the following two overarching propositions: (1) that individuals exhibit the same types of cognitive bias to maintain partner-esteem (positive view of one's romantic partner) as they do to maintain self-esteem (positive view of one's self), and (2) that degree of partner-esteem bias is positively associated with self-other overlap between couple members and with relationship commitment. Although all six studies found strong support for the first general proposition, support for the second proposition was less reliable. Studies 1 and 2 examined partner-esteem bias related to the attribution of causes for partner behaviors. Studies 3 and 4 examined partner-esteem bias related to perceptions of partner traits. Study 5 examined partner-esteem bias related to response to feedback about one's partner. Study 5 was longitudinal and provided for a test of the association between use of partner-esteem bias and relationship stability. Finally, Study 6 examined how the use of partner-esteem biases is related to own self-esteem and to cognitive load. Conclusions and implications for both self and relational theories are discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Agnew, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Social psychology
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