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Attributions and behavior in marital interaction.

T N Bradbury1, F D Fincham

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1563.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|October 1, 1992
PubMed
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Spouses who attribute marital problems to internal, stable causes exhibit poorer interaction behaviors. These maladaptive attributions are linked to less effective problem-solving and more negative interactions, especially in distressed couples.

Area of Science:

  • Social Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Relationship Science

Background:

  • Attributions, or explanations for events, significantly influence relationship dynamics.
  • Maladaptive attributions for marital difficulties are hypothesized to contribute to relationship dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the link between spouses' attributions for marital events and their interactive behaviors.
  • To determine if attributional patterns predict problem-solving effectiveness and interaction quality.

Main Methods:

  • Participants reported marital quality, made attributions for difficulties, and engaged in problem-solving discussions.
  • Behavioral observations and self-report measures assessed interaction patterns.
  • Two studies examined these relationships, differentiating between distressed and nondistressed couples.

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Main Results:

  • Maladaptive attributions were associated with less effective problem-solving, particularly in wives.
  • Maladaptive attributions correlated with increased negative behavior and reciprocation of negativity, especially for wives.
  • The link between attributions and behavior was stronger for distressed wives.

Conclusions:

  • Spouses' attributions for marital problems are demonstrably related to their interactive behaviors.
  • Maladaptive attributions appear to be a mechanism contributing to conflict and dysfunction in marriages.
  • Findings support social-psychological models of relationships and marital distress.