INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS OF FAULT IN INTIMATE-RELATIONSHIPS

The present study examined the extent to which gender and control in i ntimate relationships ,influenced perceptions of fault in conflict sit uations. College students (89 males and 90 females) who were currently involved in dating relationships completed a measure that assessed pe rceived control over their own romantic relationships. Subjects then r ead scenarios that depicted a dating couple experiencing a specific co nflict designed so that both the male and female targets were at fault for the disagreement. Males blamed the female target more than female s did for the conflicts, whereas females assigned more blame than male s to the male target. High control persons also made more extreme judg ements of fault than low control persons. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.