Self-control and accommodation in close relationships: An interdependence analysis

Citation
Ej. Finkel et Wk. Campbell, Self-control and accommodation in close relationships: An interdependence analysis, J PERS SOC, 81(2), 2001, pp. 263-277
Citations number
48
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
ISSN journal
00223514 → ACNP
Volume
81
Issue
2
Year of publication
2001
Pages
263 - 277
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-3514(200108)81:2<263:SAAICR>2.0.ZU;2-1
Abstract
Accommodation refers to the willingness, when a partner has engaged in a po tentially destructive behavior, to (a) inhibit impulses toward destructive responding and (b) instead respond constructively. A pilot study and 3 addi tional studies examined the hypothesis that self-control promotes individua ls' ability to accommodate in response to a romantic partner's potentially destructive behavior. Dispositional self-control was positively associated with accommodative tendencies in all 4 investigations, In addition, Study 1 (a retrospective study) and Study 2 (a laboratory experiment) revealed tha t "in-the-moment" self-regulatory strength depletion decreased the likeliho od that an individual would accommodate. Finally, Study 3 demonstrated that self-control exerted a significant effect on accommodation even after the authors included commitment to the relationship in the model. Implications for relationship functioning are discussed.