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Trust and communicated attributions in close relationships.
J K Rempel1, M Ross, J G Holmes
1Department of Psychology, St. Jerome's University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. jrempel@watarts.uwaterloo.ca
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 28, 2001
Summary
High-trust couples emphasize positive attributions, while low-trust couples use specific, less extreme statements to minimize conflict. Trust significantly shapes how intimate partners communicate about relationship events.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Interpersonal Communication
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Attributional communication is central to relationship dynamics.
- Understanding how trust influences these attributions is crucial for relationship health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how trust levels affect the attributional statements intimate partners make.
- To analyze the characteristics of attributions in relationships with varying levels of trust.
Main Methods:
- 35 married couples participated in discussions.
- 850 attributions and associated events were coded.
- Analysis included dimensions of valence, globality, and locus.
Main Results:
- High-trust relationships featured attributions emphasizing positive aspects.
- Medium-trust couples focused on negative events and explanations.
- Low-trust couples used specific, less extreme statements to mitigate conflict.
Conclusions:
- Trust significantly influences the nature and content of attributional communication.
- Attributional patterns vary distinctly across different trust levels.
- The characteristics of events themselves are important for understanding attributions.
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