Engaging Distortions: Are We Idealizing Marriage?

The present study was an investigation of the premarital status of engagement in terms of relationship satisfaction and marital expectations using the Evaluation and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness (ENRICH) Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS) and its two subscales of Idealist...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of psychology 2001-03, Vol.135 (2), p.179-184
Main Authors: Bonds-Raacke, Jennifer M., Bearden, Erica S., Carriere, Noelle J., Anderson, Ellen M., Nicks, Sandra D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age
Attitudes
Communication
Counseling
Couples
Expectation
Family Characteristics
Female
Friendship
Gender differences
Happiness
Humans
Hypotheses
idealizing marriage
Interpersonal Relations
Investigations
Love
Male
Male-female relationships
Marital status
Marriage
Marriage - psychology
Marriage - trends
Personal relationships
Psychology
Questionnaires
Satisfaction
Students
U.S.A
United States
Women
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Summary:The present study was an investigation of the premarital status of engagement in terms of relationship satisfaction and marital expectations using the Evaluation and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness (ENRICH) Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS) and its two subscales of Idealistic Distortion (ID) and Marital Satisfaction (MS) (D. G. Fournier, D. H. Olson, & J. M. Druckman, 1983). There were 104 students (23 men and 81 women), of which 15 were married, 19 were engaged, and 70 had extended dating relationships. On average, participants had been in the relationship for 3.8 years, and the mean age was 22 years. Results demonstrated that individuals engaged to be married had significantly higher idealistic distortion scores (M = 86.89) than did either married individuals (M = 56.67) or those in extended dating relationships (M = 61.19). Finally, a negative relation was found between length of relationships and marital satisfaction subscores. Results are discussed in light of factors contributing to such idealized thinking.
ISSN:0022-3980
1940-1019
DOI:10.1080/00223980109603689