Organization of knowledge about a relationship partner: Implications for liking and loving

In close relationships, the association between negative beliefs about a pa rtner and loving was found to be moderated by how that negative knowledge w as organized. In general, evaluatively integrative organization (i.e., cate gorizing positive and negative beliefs together) was associated with more p ositive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward the partner when the negat ive content of beliefs was high and relationships were relatively long. Add itional evidence suggests that compartmentalization (i.e., organizing posit ive and negative beliefs in separate categories) may be an effective strate gy for handling negative beliefs about a partner in a new relationship. Fin dings for behavioral closeness raise the possibility that the nature of sha red activities, as well as an individual's cognitive processes, may influen ce how knowledge about a relationship partner is organized.