Don’t Drag Me Down: Valence Asymmetry in Well-Being Co-Development in Couples

IF 4.3 2区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL

Social Psychological and Personality Science Pub Date : 2023-10-31 DOI:10.1177/19485506231207673

Olga Stavrova, William J. Chopik

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

There is a notable similarity in psychological well-being among romantic partners. Drawing on valence asymmetry research (e.g., negativity bias), we tested whether partners’ convergence toward a similar level of well-being is marked by the happier partner’s over-time deterioration or by the less happy partner’s over-time improvement. In two studies using nationally representative samples of German and Dutch couples ( N couples =21,894) followed for 37 (Study 1) and 14 (Study 2) years, we compared romantic partners’ well-being trajectories. Over time and within each couple, the happier partner experienced the most dramatic well-being declines; the unhappier partner’s well-being either did not change or increased slightly. Across all model specifications, the decline experienced by the happier partner was significantly stronger than any improvement reported by the less happy partner. The results provide the first evidence for a “negativity bias” in well-being co-development in couples and contribute to literatures in developmental psychology and relationship science.

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别拖我后腿:夫妻幸福共同发展中的价态不对称

恋人之间的心理健康有显著的相似之处。利用价不对称研究(例如，消极偏见)，我们测试了伴侣向相似幸福水平的趋同是否以更快乐的伴侣随着时间的推移而恶化或不太快乐的伴侣随着时间的推移而改善为标志。在两项研究中，我们使用了具有全国代表性的德国和荷兰夫妇样本(N对夫妇=21,894)，跟踪了37年(研究1)和14年(研究2)，比较了浪漫伴侣的幸福轨迹。随着时间的推移，在每对夫妻中，更快乐的一方经历了最戏剧性的幸福感下降;不快乐的一方的幸福感要么没有改变，要么略有增加。在所有模型规格中，快乐的一方所经历的下降明显强于不快乐的一方所报告的任何改善。研究结果首次证明了夫妻共同发展中存在“消极偏见”，并对发展心理学和关系科学的研究有一定的贡献。

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来源期刊

Social Psychological and Personality Science PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL-

CiteScore

12.50

自引率

1.80%

发文量

期刊介绍： Social Psychological and Personality Science (SPPS) is a distinctive journal in the fields of social and personality psychology that focuses on publishing brief empirical study reports, typically limited to 5000 words. The journal's mission is to disseminate research that significantly contributes to the advancement of social psychological and personality science. It welcomes submissions that introduce new theories, present empirical data, propose innovative methods, or offer a combination of these elements. SPPS also places a high value on replication studies, giving them serious consideration regardless of whether they confirm or challenge the original findings, with a particular emphasis on replications of studies initially published in SPPS. The journal is committed to a rapid review and publication process, ensuring that research can swiftly enter the scientific discourse and become an integral part of ongoing academic conversations.