Nonverbal immediacy communication behaviors and liking in marital relationships

This study examined the relationship between nonverbal immediacy behaviors and liking in marriages. Findings revealed that a spouse's perception of their partner's use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors strongly correlated with how much they liked their partner (r = .67), and was reciprocal within marital dyads. Individuals married one year or less and those married more than 24 years scored highest in perceived spouse nonverbal immediacy and liking for their partners. The relationship between nonverbal immediacy and liking was consistent regardless of marriage duration. Findings support and expand on previous research in relational maintenance, nonverbal immediacy, and affinity seeking communication behaviors.     

Measuring routine and strategic relational maintenance: Scale revision,sex versus gender roles,and the prediction of relational characteristics

In the present study, we incorporate both routine and strategic maintenance behaviors in an expanded maintenance scale. In addition, we seek to determine whether sex or gender role is a stronger predictor of maintenance behaviors, and to ascertain the extent to which maintenance predicts the relational characteristics of satisfaction, commitment, liking, and control mutuality. Data were collected from 520 married individuals. Through factor analysis, 7 maintenance items reflecting both routine and strategic enactment were identified: advice, assurances, conflict management, openness, positivity, sharing tasks, and social networks. Multiple regressions revealed that the gender role construct of femininity was the primary predictor of all 7 of these behaviors. Biological sex was a weak predictor of 2 maintenance behaviors, and was not present in the other 5 regression equations. Finally, in accordance with previous research, the use of assurances was a consistent and strong predictor of relational characteristics.     

Routine and strategic maintenance efforts: behavioral patterns,variations associated with relational length,and the prediction of relational characteristics

The goal of the present study was to examine the patterns of relationships between routine and strategic maintenance enactment. Data were collected from 189 individuals in a romantic relationship. Results indicated that positivity and sharing tasks were more often performed routinely than strategically. Second, moderate to strong, positive correlations were found among the strategic use of maintenance behaviors, and also moderate to strong, positive correlations among the routine use of maintenance behaviors. However, virtually no relationships emerged between the routine and strategic use of maintenance. Next, both strategic and routine maintenance efforts were important in predicting satisfaction and commitment, but routine maintenance was slightly more important in predicting both satisfaction and commitment. Finally, three significant, positive correlations were found between the length of the relationship and routine maintenance performance (network, conflict management, and sharing tasks), and one significant, negative correlation was found between the length of the relationship and the strategic use of openness.     

Interpersonal Communication Motives as a Predictor of Early and Middle Adulthood Siblings' Use of Relational Maintenance Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to examine whether early and middle adulthood siblings' use of relational maintenance behaviors (i.e., positivity, openness, assurances, networks, tasks) is predicted, after controlling for relational closeness, by their interpersonal communication motives (i.e., affection, inclusion, control, pleasure, relaxation, escape). Participants were 122 individuals who reported on their relationship with a sibling. Results indicated that for the positivity relational maintenance behavior, psychological closeness, the affection motive, and the control motive were significant contributors; for the openness, assurances, and tasks relational maintenance behaviors, psychological closeness and the affection motive were significant contributors; and for the networks relational maintenance behavior, psychological closeness was a significant contributor.     

Work–family conflict,relational turbulence mechanisms,conflict tactics and marital satisfaction*

ABSTRACT

This study examined how work–family conflict (WFC) is associated with mechanisms of relational turbulence, conflict tactics, and marital satisfaction. Six hundred and thirty-three married workers completed an online survey. Family interference with work and spouses’ work interfering with one’s family predicted greater relational uncertainty and interference from partners, whereas one’s own work interfering with family did not predict these mechanisms of turbulence. All three sources of relational uncertainty, and interference from partners, predicted increased avoidance and distributive tactic use. Facilitation from partners predicted increased use of integrative tactics. Finally, relational uncertainty, interference from partners, and distributive conflict tactics partially mediated the associations of WFC with marital satisfaction.     

When TV and Marriage Meet: A Social Exchange Analysis of the Impact of Television Viewing on Marital Satisfaction and Commitment

Although several studies have examined the association between television viewing and romantic relationships, differences in theoretical grounding, methodology, and findings have produced a picture that is decidedly unclear. Furthermore, past research has been directed primarily toward general relational attitudes and hypothetical relational behaviors without considering potential effects of viewing on existing, long-term relationships. This study sought to address these issues by drawing on the theoretical traditions of cultivation analysis, uses and gratifications, and social exchange theory to explore the associations among relationship variables and measures of both television viewing and belief in television portrayals by analyzing data collected from 392 married individuals. Results revealed that both heavier viewing of romantically themed programming and greater belief in television's portrayals of romantic relationships were associated with lower marital commitment, higher expected and perceived costs of marriage, and more favorable perceptions of alternatives to one's current relationship.     

Media Portrayals of Romantic Relationship Maintenance: A Content Analysis of Relational Maintenance Behaviors on Prime-Time Television

Maintenance behaviors play an important role in sustaining relational states, especially within committed romantic relationships. Limited research, however, has considered media portrayals of these behaviors. From the framework of social cognitive theory, this content analysis examined relational maintenance behaviors portrayed by committed romantic couples (heterosexual, gay, and lesbian) on prime-time network television. The frequency of maintenance behaviors (positivity, understanding, self-disclosure, assurances, relationships talks, tasks, and networks) varied by type, valence, program genre, and couple type (married/civil union or cohabitating). Results indicated that comedies featured more frequent relationship maintenance behaviors than dramas. In addition, comedies exhibited more frequent negative maintenance behaviors than dramas. Differences also existed between couple regarding the types of maintenance behavior exhibited. No sex differences in maintenance behaviors were observed between male and female characters.     

The effects of loneliness on relational maintenance behaviors: An attributional perspective

This study links the experience of loneliness to the use of relational maintenance behaviors. More precisely, an attributional perspective on loneliness is adopted, wherein chronic loneliness leads to attributions for the cause of loneliness to stable, internal, and uncontrollable factors; situational loneliness is more likely to be attributed to unstable, external, and controllable factors. Over 400 participants completed measures of chronic and situational loneliness, and relational maintenance strategies. Residts indicated that both forms of loneliness are negatively associated with maintenance strategies. As anticipated, chronically lonely people reported the least use of relational maintenance behaviors across relationship types.     

Emerging Adults' Use of Relational Maintenance Behaviors with Their Parents

This study represents a preliminary investigation into emerging adults' (i.e., ages 18–25 years) use of relational maintenance behaviors with their parents and whether these behaviors are related to perceived commitment, trust, and control mutuality. Participants were 273 undergraduate students who completed a series of instruments in reference to their general interactions with one parent. Results indicated that emerging adults use the networks, assurances, positivity, tasks, conflict management, and advice relational maintenance behaviors with their parents, and their use of relational maintenance behaviors is related directly to perceived commitment, trust, and control mutuality.     

The relationships among loneliness,self/partner constructive maintenance behavior,and relational satisfaction in two cultures

Previous research has shown that individuals in a close relationship or with good support network can suffer loneliness and that feelings of loneliness can cause negative perceptions of relationship quality and communication behavior of self and partner. The present study investigated the associations of self‐/partner‐perceived constructive communication behavior with loneliness and relational satisfaction in close relationships in South Korea and the United States. The results indicated that lonely individuals perceived themselves and their partners as displaying positive behaviors significantly less than did non‐lonely individuals, regardless of culture. Lonely people felt significantly less satisfied in a relationship than did their non‐lonely counterparts across cultures. However, as predicted, cultural differences emerged with respect to the significant indicators of loneliness: only self behavior for Koreans and only partner behavior for Americans. The results suggest that even a moderate level of loneliness can affect perceptions of constructive communication effort by self and others and relational satisfaction in close relationships across cultures.     

Relational Maintenance,Relational Characteristics,and Relational Uncertainty in the Faculty Advisor-Doctoral Advisee Relationship

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which doctoral faculty advisors’ reports of their advisees’ use of relational maintenance behaviors are associated with the advisors’ perceived relational characteristics (i.e., liking, communication satisfaction, relational satisfaction, trust, and control mutuality) and relational uncertainty (i.e., behavioral, mutuality, definitional, and future uncertainty). Doctoral faculty advisors (N = 141) completed a questionnaire in reference to their relationships with a specific doctoral student advisee. The results of canonical correlations largely supported the predictions in that the advisors’ reports of their advisees’ use of relational maintenance behaviors were associated positively with the five relational characteristics but associated negatively with the four types of relational uncertainty. These findings extend both extant relational maintenance and advisor-advisee research.     

Dogmatism of the speaker and selection of evidence

Previous research on the use of relational maintenance strategies in marriage was replicated and extended by examining diary logs of 103 married couples kept over a two‐week period. Gender differences within the marital dyads were examined. Additionally, the effect of relational satisfaction or comparison level was explored, in terms of an interdependence theory explanation of relational maintenance strategy use. The results showed significant differences between husbands and wives for openness, network, and especially tasks strategies. Wives invariably used more of each type of relational maintenance strategy than their husbands. No effects of relational satisfaction emerged, which suggested that an interdependence theory explanation of relational maintenance strategy use may be inappropriate. An ad hoc assessment of the effect of length of marriage on strategy use was significant and indicated a general decline in the use of all types of strategies as years married increased.     

Relational Maintenance in On-again/Off-again Relationships: An Assessment of How Relational Maintenance,Uncertainty, and Commitment Vary by Relationship Type and Status

Because on-again/off-again (on-off) relationships typically maintain their relationships in some form even after relational dissolution, a communication process that may be particularly relevant to understanding these relationships is relational maintenance. Using cross-sectional data, the current study assessed relational maintenance, uncertainty, and commitment to further understand how on-off relationships differ from relationships that do not have a history of renewals (i.e., noncyclical relationships). The sample of 487 participants completed a survey on either their current dating relationship or a postdissolution relationship. As predicted, on-off partners used less maintenance behaviors than noncyclical partners in current relationships, but, contrary to predictions, on-off partners did not use more maintenance behaviors in their postdissolution relationships than partners without a history of renewing. Path models assessing the interrelationships among maintenance, relationship uncertainty, and commitment also suggest relational maintenance operates somewhat differently in on-off and noncyclical relationships. Implications for on-off as well as dating relationships in general are discussed.     

The role of relational interdependence,relationship thinking,and relational communication in three stages of romantic relationships

Relational interdependence, relationship thinking, and relational communication are theorized to distinguish among the stages of dating relationships. This study analyzes their comparative ability to distinguish dating relationship stages and suggests some of their related‐ness. Results indicate that relational interdependence (indexed in the perception of relationship alternatives, satisfaction, investment, and commitment) distinguishes among each stage of the dating relationships. Relationship thinking (measured in positive affect thinking and partner thinking) and relational communication (measured in trust and composure) also distinguish among relational stages, but differences in relational interdependence appear to predate and predicate the positive development of relationship thinking and relational communication.     

Small group relational satisfaction scale: Development,reliability and validity

A 12‐item Relational Satisfaction Scale (RSS) was developed and examined for reliability and validity. Reliability (Cronbach's alpha) for the RSS was high at .89 (M = 43.91, SD = 6.89). In Study I, full time employees (N = 228) reported attitudes about group work, assertiveness, responsiveness, perceptions of feedback and relational satisfaction in work groups. All four variables were positively correlated to relational satisfaction. In Study 2, the RSS along with measures of loneliness, cohesion and consensus were administered to 210 students involved in on‐going decision‐making projects. Positive relationships were found for relational satisfaction and cohesion and consensus, with a negative relationship for loneliness. Implications for future research are discussed.     

An Examination of Relational Uncertainty,Romantic Intent,and Attraction on Communicative and Relational Outcomes in Cross-Sex Friendships

This investigation explored the impact of relational uncertainty and its correlates (i.e., attraction and romantic intent) on cognitive, communicative, and behavioral outcomes in cross-sex friendships. Participants included 352 people who reported on a current cross-sex friendship. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that social attraction increased relational satisfaction while relational uncertainty decreased relational satisfaction. Further, social attraction decreased topic avoidance while romantic intent and relational uncertainty increased topic avoidance. Finally, social attraction increased the use of relationship talk, routine contact and activity, and emotional support maintenance behaviors, while relational uncertainty decreased the use of these maintenance behaviors. This study provides researchers with a starting point for understanding the consequences associated with interpersonal attraction, romantic intent, and relational uncertainty in cross-sex friendships.     

Responses to changes in relational uncertainty within dating relationships: Emotions and communication strategies

Guided by the appraisal theory of emotion, this paper examines how various emotions shape communication strategies within romantic relationships. Events that changed people's relational uncertainty levels provide the context for the investigation. Participants in dating relationships (N = 141) described their experience of relational certainty and uncertainty increasing events. Relational certainty increases coincided with relatively high levels of happiness, and relational uncertainty increases corresponded with heightened degrees of anger and sadness. Integrative behaviors were a frequently reported response to both kinds of events. Consistent with appraisal theory, specific emotions were associated with particular strategies; however, some effects were moderated by the type of event. The discussion highlights the utility of appraisal theory for understanding how romantic partners manage fluctuations in relational uncertainty.     

The association of socio‐communicative style and relational type on perceptions of nonverbal immediacy

This study examined how an individual's perceived use of nonverbal immediacy is related to his or her perceived socio‐communicative style, and whether the use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors differs across relational types. Reflecting on a recent interaction, participants (N = 309) completed the Assertiveness‐Responsiveness measure (Richmond & McCroskey, 1990) and a modified version of the Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors instrument (Richmond, Gorham, & McCroskey, 1987). Results indicate that (a) competent communicators differ from noncompetent, submissive, and aggressive communicators across ten nonverbal immediacy behaviors and (b) the use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors differs across relational types.     

There is No Agony Like Bearing an Untold Story Inside You: Communication Research as Interventive Practice

Integrative interpersonal theory implies that relational uncertainty may play a role in the reassurance-seeking and negative feedback-seeking behavior of people with depressive symptoms. We sought to extend the theory by (a) documenting how individuals with depressive symptoms communicate under conditions of relational uncertainty, (b) evaluating actor and partner effects, and (c) utilizing observational measures of reassurance-seeking and negative feedback-seeking. Sixty-nine romantic couples engaged in 50 minutes of conversation rated by independent judges. Multilevel modeling results indicated that the depressive symptoms of actors and partners were the primary predictor of an actor's reassurance-seeking, but an actor's relational uncertainty was the primary predictor of an actor's negative feedback-seeking. The findings illuminate the interplay among depressive symptoms, relational uncertainty, and communication.