Cautious to a fault : self-protection and the trajectory of marital satisfaction

Sandra L. Murray, John G. Holmes, Jaye L. Derrick, Brianna Harris, Dale W. Griffin, Rebecca T. Pinkus

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    12 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A contextual model of self-protection is proposed to explain when adhering to cautious "if-then" rules in daily interaction erodes marital satisfaction. People can self-protect against partner non-responsiveness by distancing when a partner seems rejecting, promoting a partner's dependence when feeling unworthy, or by devaluing a partner in the face of costs. The model implies that being less trusting elicits self-protection, and that mismatches between self-protective practices and encountered risk accelerate declines in satisfaction. A longitudinal study of newlyweds revealed that the fit between self-protection practices and risk predicted declines in satisfaction over three years. When people self-protected more initially, satisfaction declined more in low-risk (i.e., low conflict, resilient partner) than high-risk relationships (i.e., high conflict, vulnerable partner). However, when people self-protected less initially, satisfaction declined more in high-risk than low-risk relationships. Process evidence was consistent with moderated mediation: In low-risk relationships only, being less trusting predicted higher levels of self-protective caution that forecast later declines in satisfaction.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)522-533
    Number of pages12
    JournalJournal of Experimental Social Psychology
    Volume49
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013

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