Accuracy and bias in the perception of the partner in a close relationship

Partners in close relationships can be both accurate and biased in their pe rceptions of each other. Moreover, sometimes a bias can lead to accuracy. T he authors describe a paradigm for the simultaneous measurement of accuracy and bias in 2-person relationships. One prevalent bias in close relationsh ips is assumed similarity: Does the person think that his or her partner se es the world as he or she does? In a study of 238 dating and married hetero sexual couples, the authors found evidence for both bias and accuracy; the bias effects were considerably stronger, especially when the measure was li nked to the relationship. They found little or no evidence for gender diffe rences in accuracy and bias.