Laura Stafford

Relational maintenance strategies and equity in marriage

Utilizing equity theory, this study extends previous research on maintenance strategies. The manner in which relational maintenance strategies are reported and perceived is examined. It was hypothesized that maintenance strategies are used more in equitable relationships than in relationships characterized by underbenefitedness. Further, the use of maintenance efforts by individuals in overbenefited relationships was explored. In addition, this study examined the relative contribution of self‐reported maintenance strategies, perception of partners’ maintenance strategies, and equity in predicting the relational characteristics. Overall, the level of felt equity was found to be related to individuals’ use of, and perceptions of partners’ use of, maintenance strategies in a pattern consistent with equity theory. However, the findings varied somewhat when relying on wives’ versus husbands’ equity judgments. Moreover, self‐reported maintenance strategies as well as perceptions of partners’ maintenance strateg...

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.

An inductive analysis of relational maintenance strategies: Comparisons among lovers, relatives, friends, and others

This investigation reports a typology of maintenance behaviors that were derived through inductive analyses of papers students wrote about their strategies for maintaining various relationships. Ten major strategies were inductively derived: positivity; openness; assurances; sharing tasks; social networks; joint activities; cards/letters/calls; avoidance; anti‐social; and humor. These strategies extend the previous research on relational maintenance strategies. More specifically, the latter five strategies and the subcategories of all the strategies are additions to Stafford and Canarys (1991)typology. In addition, analyses revealed the positivity, openness, assurances, sharing tasks, and cards/letters/calls differed in their frequency of use among lovers, relatives, friends and others.

Home E-Mail : Relational Maintenance and Gratification Opportunities

This study explored the household use of electronic mail. In a telephone probability sample of 881 adults, 112 adults reported they used electronic mail. This sample provided four superordinate reasons for home e‐mail use: interpersonal relationships; personal gain; business; and gratification opportunities. Overwhelmingly, home e‐mail was reported to be used for interpersonal relationship reasons regardless of user demographics. The findings suggest that e‐mail is used for the maintenance of interpersonal relationships and that gratification opportunities play an important role in home e‐mail use.

Maintenance strategies and physical affection as predictors of love, liking, and satisfaction in marriage

The purpose of this research effort is to examine five relational maintenance strategies and two measures of physical affection as predictors of love, liking, and satisfaction in marriage. The sample consisted of 200 married couples. Results indicate that perceptions of the partners’ use of maintenance strategies and respondents’ own satisfaction with physical affection were strong predictors of love, liking, and satisfaction. Moreover, the variables differed in their relative predictive ability of the relational characteristics.

Idealization and Communication in Long-Distance Premarital Relationships.

The phenomenon of idealization in college premarital long-distance relationships is explored. In this study, 71 college couples participated in a survey. Findings indicate long-distance couples have more restricted communication and are more idealized than their geographically close counterparts. Further, an associa tive pattern between restricted communica tion and positive relational images is found. Speculation is offered that long-distance couples, due to their limited contact, postpone realistic assessments. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Idealization, reunions, and stability in long-distance dating relationships

Two studies explore the seeming paradox reported in prior research on long-distance dating relationships (LDDRs): Despite limited interaction, LDDR partners evidence greater relational stability than partners in geographically close dating relationships (GCDRs). We investigate speculations that romantic idealization may be a key component in LDDR stability. Idealization (i.e., idealistic distortion, romantic love, relational reminiscence, perceived agreement) and satisfaction with communication was more pronounced in LDDRs than GCDRs. Idealization was also associated with infrequent face-to-face communication. LDDRs were more stable than GCDRs as long as LDDR partners remained geographically separated, but LDDR partners were likely to terminate their relationship upon becoming proximal. Longer absences between face-to-face visits and extreme idealization during separation predicted instability upon reunion.

Equity and Interdependence as Predictors of Relational Maintenance Strategies

This article continues a research program on relational maintenance strategies used in marriage. In particular, we explore how equity and satisfaction, defined in terms of interdependence theory, individually and jointly are predictive of self-reported maintenance strategies. The rationale for the study is based on previous programmatic efforts, as well as a critique of these efforts. Over 200 married couples completed measures of equity, satisfaction, and self-reported maintenance strategies of positivity, openness, assurances, social networks, and sharing tasks. Findings reveal that satisfaction tends to be highest for spouses who perceive their relationships to be equitable, followed by overbenefited partners, followed by underbenefited partners (a curvilinear association, predicted by equity theory). Moreover, wife-defined equity predicted both wife and husband maintenance behaviors in the same inverted curvilinear pattern. The predicted curvilinear trend held only for women-defined equity groups, not mens, in this sample, aside from the use of tasks, which did follow the predicted curvilinear patterns. Also, support for an equity framework was found, as underbenefited husbands reported significantly lower levels of 3 of the 5 maintenance behaviors than did equitable or overbenefited husbands. Finally, using womens reports, the combination of equity and satisfaction was a more powerful predictor of maintenance behavior than either of these constructs alone.

Married Individuals, Cohabiters, and Cohabiters Who Marry: A Longitudinal Study of Relational and Individual Well-Being

Given that many cohabiting couples marry, our interest was in the changes that may accompany this shift in terms of relational and individual well-being. In addition, a comparison among three relationship groups was undertaken: those who entered directly into marriage, those who cohabitated and then married, and those who are long-term cohabiters. Also, comparisons across time were conducted. Our data were drawn from the 1987–1988 and 1992–1994 National Survey of Families and Households. A sub-sample of the data was utilized to create the three groups matched on multiple demographic variables. The shift to marriage was not accompanied by significant changes in any of the constructs of interest. Differences among the groups were consistent with previous research. The major findings indicated a significant effect for time, regardless of relationship group. Companionship, sexual interaction, relational satisfaction, and commitment decreased across time. The frequency of conflict and arguing heatedly increased, while remaining calm and keeping opinions to one’s self decreased.

Interaction between Parents and Children

Continuing Controversies About Children and Their Development Relevant to Parent-Child Interaction Theoretical Orientations What the Child Becomes Three Selected Variables The Child as Clay An Overview of the Unidirectional Approach The Child as Clay The Unidirectional Approach to Three Variables Through the Looking Glass An Overview of Bidirectional Approaches Through the Looking Glass Bidirectional Approaches to Three Variables The Family as a Spiral of Recursive Feedback Loops An Overview of the Systems Approach The Family as a Spiral of Recursive Feedback Loops A Systemic View of Three Variables Epilogue Conclusions, Concomitant Concerns, and Closing