Mary Anne Fitzpatrick

Family Type and Conflict: The Impact of Conversation Orientation and Conformity Orientation on Conflict in The Family

The present study investigates the influence of conformity and conversation orientation on how families with adolescents cope with conflict. Using the data of 35 families (N = 117), statistically significant correlations were observed between conformity orientation and conflict avoidance (β = .21, p = .04), ventingfeelings (β = .36, p = .002), and depression (β = ‐.46, p = .048). Conversation orientation was statistically significantly correlated with conflict avoidance (β = ‐ .31, p = .004), and seeking social support (β = .41, p = .003). Implications of these results are discussed and observations are made regarding the utility for communication research of the two dimensions of conformity and conversation orientation. Finally, questions emerging from this research that point to future investigations are discussed.

Understanding Family Communication Patterns and Family Functioning: The Roles of Conversation Orientation and Conformity Orientation

Family communication behavior and family beliefs about how family members should communicate with one another are closely related and combine to create family communication patterns. Two dimensions that determine family communication patterns are conversation orientation and conformity orientation. In this chapter, we discuss theoretical and practical issues relating to these two dimensions and the family typology that is based on them. First, the dimensions are discussed and a resulting family typology is introduced. Then, we discuss the instrument to measure family communication patterns, the Revised Family Communication Patterns instrument (RFCP), and review research that links conversation orientation and conformity orientation and the resulting family types to different behavioral and psychosocial outcomes of family functioning in the areas of conflict and conflict resolution, speech act production, and the socialization of children. Following this discussion, we address a number of methodological considerations regarding the RFCP and its use in family research. Finally, we evaluate the roles of family communication patterns in family functioning and individuals’ success in their relationship and suggest directions for future research.

You always hurt the one you love: Strategies and tactics in interpersonal conflict

The present study delineates the five most frequently utilized strategies of relational conflict resolution. Three propositions were tested. In examining the first proposition, same and opposite sex friends indicated that they utilized significantly different conflict strategies. In testing proposition two, males and females reported that they employ different strategies with their same but not opposite sex friends. In probing the third proposition, frequently used conflict strategies discriminated between levels of relational satisfaction.

You never leave your family in a fight: The impact of family of origin on conflict‐behavior in romantic relationships

The present study investigates the influence of communication patterns of families of origin on conflict behaviors of adult children in their romantic relationships. Based on self‐reports of 260 participants, differences in conflict behaviors were observed for persons stemming from consensual, pluralistic, protective, and laissez‐faire families. The differences involved mutually positive and mutually negative behaviors, as well as in the complementary behaviors of avoiding, threatening, and resisting. These results support hypotheses predicting a socializing influence of the family of origins communication patterns on adult childrens communication in subsequent romantic relationships. In addition, by associating the different family types with different socialization outcomes, this study farther demonstrates the importance of assessing family types in investigations of family communication and of interpersonal conflict.

Dyadic adjustment in relational types: Consensus, cohesion, affectional expression, and satisfaction in enduring relationships

This paper reports the third in a series of studies designed to empirically develop a typology of enduring relationships. The purpose of this study is to validate the category scheme established in previous work by comparing the relational types on measures of dyadic adjustment. A secondary purpose involved an examination of the effect of relational definition agreement and, disagreement on the adjustment measures. The results indicate that couples who share a similar definition of their relationship are significantly more in agreement on a variety of relational issues and more cohesive than are couples who do not share a relational definition. Those who disagree on a relational definition tend to agree only on expressions of affection and sexual relations. In the relationships previously typed as Traditional, Separate, Independent, and Separate / Traditional, couples exhibit significantly different levels of dyadic adjustment.

A Typological Approach to Communication in Relationships

Two studies were conducted to examine the proposed research questions. The first study developed an eight-factor scale, the Relational Dimensions Instrument (RDI), capable of reliably measuring som...

Stability and change in relationships

Part I. Actors: The Scaffolding of Stability and Change: 1. Change in relationship knowledge representations Paula R. Pietromonaco, Jean-Philippe Laurenceau and Lisa Feldman Barrett 2. Personality effects on personal relationships over the life span Jens B. Asendorpf 3. An intergenerational model of romantic relationship development Chalandra M. Bryant and Rand D. Conger 4. How relationships begin and end: a genetic perspective David T. Lykken Part II. Behaviors: The Processes of Stability and Change: 5. Serial arguing over the relational life course: antecedents and consequences Michael E. Roloff and Kristen Linnea Johnson 6. Communication, relationships concerns, and satisfaction in early marriage Patricia Noller and Judith A. Feeney 7. Sacrifice in romantic relationships: an exploration of relevant research and theory Sarah Whitton, Scott Stanley and Howard Markman 8. Stability and change in social relations: perspectives from gerontology and stress research David A. Chiriboga 9. What microanalysis of behavior in social situations can reveal about relationships across the life span Rebecca M. Warner 10. Developing a multifaceted view of change in relationships Ronald D. Rogge and Thomas N. Bradbury Part III. Contexts: The Social Environment for Stability and Change: 11. Social networks and change in personal relationships Susan Sprecher, Diane Felmlee, Terri L. Orbuch and Marion C. Willetts 12. Creating a context for change: integrative couple therapy Jennifer Wheeler and Andrew Christensen 13. Passionate love and sexual desire: cultural and historical perspectives Elaine Hatfield and Richard L. Rapson 14. Rules for responsive robots: using human interactions to build virtual interactions Joseph N. Cappella and Catherine Pelachaud.

Gender-Preferential Language Use in Spouse and Stranger Interaction

Research on sex differences in the communication practices of men and women often ignores the contexts in which communication takes place. By comparing women and men as they interact with both strangers and spouses, the authors present a more nuanced view of gender differences in social interaction. The authors discuss gender-preferential language and present data on social interaction in same-sex, mixed-sex and marital dialogues. Results of a round-robin analysis of variance indicate that same-sex dyadic conversations, but not mixed-sex dyadic conversations, are marked by a strong display of stereotypical gender-preferential linguistic use. Husbands tend to adopt a female-preferential linguistic style when speaking to their wives.

Compliance‐gaining in marital interaction: Power bases, processes, and outcomes

Couples attempted to gain compliance from their spouse. Specific marital types were determined by using the Relational Dimensions Instrument (Fitzpatrick, 1977). Messages were coded into specific categories of compliance‐gaining by the Verbal Interaction Compliance‐Gaining Scheme. This scheme references the bases of power speakers use when attempting to gain compliance. The short term outcomes of the interactions were coded as to whether the husband or wife won and whether mutual resolution or no resolution was achieved. Log‐linear analysis indicated that the various marital types utilized were found to have different patterns of compliance‐gaining communication associated with them.

A Typological Approach to Marital Interaction: Recent Theory and Research

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses recent theory and research on marital interaction. It introduces a typology of marital relationships. It also examines the basis for typological construction, the development of the measurement, and the early validation work linking the types to other variables of interest. The primary goal of a typology is to construct an orderly scheme for the classification and description of social phenomena. Although there are a variety of ways to approach typological construction, the most useful one is a polythetic method of classification. A polythetic classification scheme places individuals in the same type when they possess a large number of shared characteristics. The chapter presents the relationship between marital types and communication behavior. The central biosocial issue in a marital relationship is the way couples interpret the meaning of maleness and femaleness. These interpretations are generally studied under the rubric of sex roles. The male sex role is associated with task completion, problem solving, and concern for oneself as an individual. The female sex role is associated with nurturance, concern for others, and relationships with others.