Benjamin W. Hadden

Relationship Duration Moderates Associations Between Attachment and Relationship Quality: Meta-Analytic Support for the Temporal Adult Romantic Attachment Model

Although research has examined associations between attachment dimensions and relationship outcomes, theory has ignored how these associations change over time in adult romantic relationships. We proposed the Temporal Adult Romantic Attachment (TARA) model, which predicts that the negative associations between anxious and avoidant attachment on one hand and relationship satisfaction and commitment on the other will be more negative as relationship durations increase. Meta-analyses largely confirmed that negative associations between both insecure attachment dimensions and both relationship outcomes were more negative among longer relationship durations in cross-sectional samples. We also explored gender differences in these associations. The present review not only integrates the literature on adult attachment and romantic relationship satisfaction/commitment but also highlights the importance of relationship duration as a key moderator of the associations among these variables. We discuss the broad implications of these effects and our meta-analytic findings for the TARA model, attachment theory, and romantic relationships.

Self-Determination Theory and Romantic Relationship Processes

Self-determination theory can be viewed as a theory of optimal relationship development and functioning. We examine the concept of self that is employed in self-determination theory and explain how its unique definition allows an important and novel characterization of investing one’s “self” in romantic relationships. A self-determined perspective on romantic relationships integrates several theories on romantic relationship development, but also goes beyond them by explicitly articulating the personality, developmental, and situational factors that facilitate optimal self-investment and relational functioning. Self-determination promotes openness rather than defensiveness and facilitates perspective-taking, authenticity, and support of close others. The dyadic context of romantic relationships affords great opportunity for theoretical development and integration of self-determination theory with current theories of interdependence and relational well-being.

Removing the Ego: Need Fulfillment, Self-Image Goals, and Self-Presentation

Self-determination theory suggests that fulfillment of basic psychological needs creates a sense of self-worth that is not contingent upon maintaining a particular self-image. Lower ego-involvement is theorized, in turn, to lead to more authentic interactions with others. The present research tests this assertion across two types of close relationships. In Study 1, participants reported how much a close friendship fulfills their basic psychological needs, their levels of self-image goals, and the extent to which they engage in self-presentation with their friend. In Study 2, participants answered the same questions about a romantic partner. Results suggest that need fulfillment is associated with less desire to maintain a specific self-image, and that this predicts lower levels of self-presentation.

The way I make you feel: How relatedness and compassionate goals promote partner's relationship satisfaction

Research has investigated the role of three basic psychological needs as proposed by Self-Determination Theory – autonomy, competence, and relatedness – in explaining relationship satisfaction. Research has also explored how relatedness specifically increases prosocial motivations in the individual but has not focused on the role of relatedness in shaping partners’ relationship functioning over time. This research takes a dyadic perspective that proposes that relatedness fulfillment fosters compassionate goals, which in turn predict increases in partner’s satisfaction. Forty-five heterosexual dating couples were asked about their relatedness need fulfillment, compassionate goals, and relationship satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction was assessed again four weeks later. Results showed that one’s own relatedness fulfillment, but not one’s partner’s relatedness fulfillment at Time 1 uniquely predicts partner’s increased satisfaction at Time 2, and that this is mediated by one’s own higher compassionate goals. These findings highlight the dyadic importance of having one’s needs met in promoting relationship functioning over time.

The green eyed monster in the bottle: Relationship contingent self-esteem, romantic jealousy, and alcohol-related problems

Previous research suggests that both jealousy and relationship contingent self-esteem (RCSE) are related to alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. No work, however, has examined these two constructs together as they relate to motives for alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. The current study aims to build upon emerging literature examining different types of jealousy (i.e., emotional, cognitive, and behavioral), relationship quality (i.e., satisfaction, commitment, closeness), RCSE, and alcohol use. More specifically, the current study aimed to examine the associations between RCSE and drinking to cope and RCSE and alcohol-related problems, in the context of the different types of jealousy. Moreover, the current study aimed to assess whether the associations between RCSE, jealousy, and drinking outcomes vary as a function of relationship quality. Two hundred and seventy seven individuals (87% female) at a large southern university participated in the study. They completed measures of RCSE, relationship satisfaction, commitment, closeness, and jealousy as well as alcohol-related outcomes. Using PROCESS, moderated mediational analyses were used to evaluate different types of jealousy as mediators of the association between RCSE and drinking to cope/alcohol-related problems. Further, we aimed to examine whether relationship quality moderated the association between RCSE and jealousy in predicting alcohol-related variables. Results indicated that cognitive jealousy mediated the association between both RCSE and drinking to cope and RCSE and alcohol-related problems. Further, relationship satisfaction, commitment, and closeness were all found to moderate the association between RSCE and cognitive jealousy such that at lower, but not higher levels of satisfaction, commitment, and closeness, cognitive jealousy mediated the association between RCSE and drinking to cope and RCSE and alcohol-related problems.

An Actor–Partner Interdependence Model of Attachment and Need Fulfillment in Romantic Dyads

The present research tested the unique associations between attachment and basic psychological need fulfillment in relationships. Past research shows that anxious and avoidant attachment are associated with distinct patterns of relationship behaviors, wherein anxious attachment is related to excessive attention to the relationship and avoidant attachment is related to detachment from the relationship. Specifically, we explored the role of romantic partner’s attachment in predicting each other’s experiences of relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Across two samples of undergraduate romantic couples (n sample 1 = 156, n sample 2 = 264), one’s own anxious and avoidant attachment predicted generally lower basic psychological need fulfillment. Having a more anxiously attached partner predicted higher relatedness but lower autonomy, whereas having a more avoidantly attached partner predicted lower relatedness but higher autonomy need fulfillment. These results extend prior research, suggesting that one’s partner’s anxious and avoidant attachment has distinct implications for one’s own outcomes.

Finding meaning in us: The role of meaning in life in romantic relationships

Abstract The present research tested a model of relationship functioning that incorporates meaning in life (MIL), proposing that MIL plays an important role in individuals’ motivations and perceived quality of romantic relationships. Study 1 employed a weekly diary methodology (N = 121 individuals in romantic relationships) and found that both within- and between-person relationship MIL are associated with internalized motivational states (i.e. intrinsic motivation, harmonious passion) and relationship quality (i.e. satisfaction, commitment). Study 2 was a dyadic study that examined both members of romantic couples (N = 238 dyads). Results found that both one’s own and one’s partner’s MIL predict motivation and relationship quality. Further, we also found evidence of a hierarchical model of MIL, such that relationship-specific experiences of MIL mediate associations between general MIL and relationship motivation and quality. Taken together, this research provides consistent and compelling evidence regarding the importance of MIL in romantic relationships.

Commitment readiness and relationship formation

The concept of being ready for a relationship is pervasive in popular culture, but theoretical and empirical research on readiness is lacking. We offer a conceptualization of commitment readiness and provide some of the first empirical work examining readiness among single individuals—specifically how this construct shapes various aspects of relationship formation. Using data from five independent samples of individuals not involved in romantic relationships, we first establish that commitment readiness is associated with more interest in developing a close romantic relationship (Studies 1a, 1b, 2) and with active pursuit of relationship initiation (Study 2). We then test whether readiness among single individuals longitudinally predicts both the likelihood of later entering a relationship and, ultimately, how committed individuals are to a future relationship (Studies 3a, 3b, 3c). Implications of commitment readiness specifically, and perceived personal timing more generally, for the social psychology of relationships are discussed.

Testing a brief interactive teaching demonstration to explain experimentation in psychology.

Having a firm grasp of psychological research methodology is a central goal for undergraduate training, yet effectively teaching methodology can be challenging in classes that are not primarily methodology classes. The present research describes a brief classroom demonstration—The Substitute Professor Opinion Survey (SPOS)—that serves as an interactive tool to explain the basics of experimentation. Across 2 studies, we provide evidence from 11 classroom samples collected in a variety of courses and institutions. Results show reliability and robustness of the SPOS teaching demonstration, replicating in all 11 samples. Additionally, students reported that the SPOS teaching demonstration enhanced their learning and was enjoyable (Study 1). Furthermore, Study 2 results indicated that students who experienced the SPOS demonstration as an integrated component of the class coverage of research methods performed significantly better on a posttest of their knowledge of experimentation than students who did not experience it. The present research offers psychology instructors a versatile tool to explain the basics of experimentation.

Self-determination theory and intimate partner violence: An APIM model of need fulfillment and IPV.

Some of the most important outcomes of romantic relationships are those related to the mutual fulfillment of basic psychological needs (Deci & Ryan, 2014; Knee, Hadden, Porter, & Rodriguez, 2013). The present study tested an actor–partner interdependence model of self-determination theory’s mutual need fulfillment in couples as a predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Couples (N = 78 dyads) completed measures of basic psychological need fulfillment, relationship satisfaction, and intimate partner violence perpetration. Results suggest that women’s need fulfillment matters more in predicting men’s IPV perpetration, whereas men’s need fulfillment does not significantly predict women’s IPV perpetration. In other words, women’s need fulfillment acts as a protective factor against men’s IPV perpetration.