Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Equity Theory

Equity Theory

Equity theory explains how our sense of fairness influences the dynamics of close relationships. Rooted in social psychology, the theory posits that individuals evaluate fairness by comparing the ratio of their contributions to the rewards they receive. Relationship satisfaction is highest when these ratios are perceived as balanced between partners, promoting mutual reciprocity and a sense of justice.Equity vs. Equality in RelationshipsEquity is distinct from equality. Fairness does not...

Relationship Growth

Relationship Growth

Interpersonal relationships progress through stages, beginning with awareness and moving toward mutuality, where emotional connections deepen. While many relationships remain at moderate levels of mutuality, deeper connections form through self-disclosure, trust, and interdependence.Self-DisclosureSelf-disclosure involves revealing personal information, starting with surface-level details and gradually progressing to more intimate content. As trust grows, individuals feel more comfortable...

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...

Self-Discrepancy Theory

Self-Discrepancy Theory

One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.

Categories of Equilibrium

Categories of Equilibrium

Equilibrium is a crucial concept in physics, enabling us to understand how forces interact with bodies to produce no or constant motion. In two-dimensional equilibrium, force systems can be classified into different categories based on their characteristics.
One of the categories of equilibrium is collinear equilibrium, which involves forces acting along a straight line. This type of equilibrium requires only one force equation in the direction of the forces, as the other equations are...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Understanding and challenging epistemically suspect beliefs: A call for expanding interdisciplinary research.

Journal of psychopathology and clinical science·2026

Same author

Redesigning algorithms to intervene on social norm misperceptions during a national election.

Nature·2026

Same author

Large language models can detect verbal indicators of romantic attraction.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Women Are Slightly More Sexually Satisfied in Their Romantic Relationships Than Men: An Integrative Data Analytic Approach.

Archives of sexual behavior·2026

Same author

Overestimating the social costs of political belief change.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026

Same author

In-Person and Virtual Dates are Comparable, But People Don't Know It.

Personality & social psychology bulletin·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

Navigating personal and relational concerns: the quest for equilibrium.

Madoka Kumashiro¹, Caryl E Rusbult, Eli J Finkel

¹Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, University of London, London, UK. madoka_kumashiro@yahoo.com

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

|July 9, 2008

Summary

People strive for balance between personal and relational needs. Achieving this personal-relational equilibrium enhances life satisfaction and well-being, while imbalance motivates restoration efforts.

More Related Videos

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Area of Science:

Psychology
Social Psychology
Behavioral Science

Background:

Individuals navigate competing demands between personal pursuits and relational commitments.
Simultaneous gratification of personal and relational needs is often challenging, leading to potential conflict.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and validate the personal-relational equilibrium model.
To investigate how personal-relational disequilibrium influences motivation and life satisfaction.
To explore the long-term effects of equilibrium on well-being.

Main Methods:

Four studies were conducted, employing manipulations, narrative analysis, diary reports, and longitudinal assessments.
Participants' motivation, domain dedication, life satisfaction, and well-being were measured.
Experimental manipulations induced anticipated or experienced personal-relational disequilibrium versus equilibrium.

Main Results:

Anticipating disequilibrium reduced motivation in an over-dedicated domain and increased it in the complementary domain.
Experiences of disequilibrium heightened motivation to restore balance and decreased life satisfaction.
Everyday disequilibrium correlated with immediate motivation shifts and reduced satisfaction, alongside subsequent domain dedication.
Disequilibrium predicted lower well-being over a six-month period.

Conclusions:

The personal-relational equilibrium model provides a framework for understanding self-regulation in balancing fundamental human concerns.
Achieving equilibrium between personal and relational domains is crucial for sustained life satisfaction and well-being.
The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between perceived balance, motivation, and subjective well-being.