Substituting the Forest for the Trees: Social Networks and the Prediction of Romantic Relationship State and Fate

This research focused on perceptions held by heterosexual couples' friendship network concerning the couple's relationship. In a three-wave longitudinal study, we examined (a) whether these perceptions were similar to the couple's views of the relationship, (b) whether they predicted...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2001-12, Vol.81 (6), p.1042-1057
Main Authors: Agnew, Christopher R, Loving, Timothy J, Drigotas, Stephen M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Fate
Female
Forecasting
Friendship
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Human Courtship
Human Sex Differences
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Love
Male
Male Female Relations
Male-female relationships
Opinion
Perceptions
Personal relationships
Prediction
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Relationship Satisfaction
Relationship Termination
Significant Others
Social interactions. Communication. Group processes
Social Networks
Social perception
Social psychology
Social Support
Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:This research focused on perceptions held by heterosexual couples' friendship network concerning the couple's relationship. In a three-wave longitudinal study, we examined (a) whether these perceptions were similar to the couple's views of the relationship, (b) whether they predicted current relationship state and future fate, and (c) how they compared with the couple's perceptions in predicting fate. Consistent with within-dyad idealization, results from a North American sample indicated that network perceptions of relationship state were significantly more negative than those held by a couple. Although both the couples' and the total networks' perceptions predicted fate, friends of the female couple member were particularly successful at predicting relationship dissolution. An examination of possible mechanisms whereby friends may come to possess particularly predictive perceptions supported the role of couple-disclosure in this process.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.81.6.1042