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Push-you-pull-you: the boundaried self in close relationships
John K Rempel1, Christopher T Burris
1Department of Psychology, St. Jerome's University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. jrempel@uwaterloo.ca
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|December 31, 2005
Summary
Threats to the self influence relationship closeness. Social threats may push partners away, while spatial-symbolic threats pull partners closer to maintain relationship security, integrating partners into the self.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
- Self-Concept Theory
Background:
- Amoebic Self Theory posits that relationship partners can be incorporated into one's self-concept.
- The salience of different threats can impact interpersonal dynamics and self-perception within relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how social and spatial-symbolic threats influence the inclusion or exclusion of intimate partners.
- To test the hypotheses derived from Amoebic Self Theory regarding threat salience and partner inclusion/exclusion.
Main Methods:
- Utilized self-report measures assessing responses to hypothetical interpersonal scenarios.
- Employed behavioral perceptions during a role-playing task to assess relationship dynamics.
Main Results:
- Findings supported the hypotheses, indicating differential partner treatment based on threat type.
- Social threat salience led to pushing away offending partners while drawing closer to offenders.
- Spatial-symbolic threat salience resulted in pulling partners closer to maintain relationship security.
Conclusions:
- The study provides empirical support for Amoebic Self Theory in the context of intimate relationships.
- Both intimate partners and the relationship itself can be integrated into the self, influencing responses to threats.
- Threat perception plays a crucial role in modulating interpersonal closeness and relationship maintenance strategies.