Enhancing and disrupting cooperative behavior in couples: Effects of dependency and self-criticism following favorable and unfavorable performance feedback

Considerable research has examined the impact of unfavorable feedback on mo od and behavior in individuals; however relatively little research has inve stigated how favorable and unfavorable feedback may enhance or disrupt coop erative behavior in romantic relationships. The present study examined how favorable and unfavorable performance feedback influenced both mood and int erpersonal behavior on a task requiring the participation of both members o f a dating couple, In Part I of the protocol, dating couples (N = 36 couple s) watched short videotaped vignettes of people interacting, after which th ey received bogus performance feedback concerning the accuracy of their jud gements about the vignettes. In part 2, couples were required to complete a second series of vignettes after being told that they performed favorably or unfavorably in comparison to other peer couples. Results showed that the effects of feedback were moderated by dependency and self-criticism, beyon d effects due to baseline levels of behavior or due to levels of partner be havior following favorable and unfavorable feedback, that dependency predic ted an increase in the frequency of suggestions and agreeable comments foll owing unfavorable feedback whereas self-criticism predicted a decrease in t he frequencies of suggestions and agreeable comments and an increase in the frequency of blaming Consistent with the proposed vulnerability model, dep endency and self-criticism had little effect on cooperative behavior follow ing favorable feedback.