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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
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Gender, Emotion Work, and Relationship Quality: A Daily Diary Study.
Melissa A Curran1, Brandon T McDaniel2, Amanda M Pollitt1
1University of Arizona, 650 N. Park, Tucson, AZ 85721-0078.
Sex Roles
|October 29, 2015
Summary
Daily emotion work positively impacts relationship quality for both men and women. However, gender differences emerge in how partners' emotion work affects relationship volatility, particularly for women experiencing decreased volatility and men experiencing increased volatility.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Feminist theories highlight the gendered nature of emotion work.
- Emotion work, defined as activities enhancing emotional well-being, is crucial in relationships.
- Understanding daily emotion work and its impact on relationship quality is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how gender and daily emotion work predict relationship quality using a gender relations perspective.
- To examine both trait (average) and state (daily) emotion work.
- To analyze actor and partner effects, including gender differences, on relationship quality.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 74 couples (148 individuals) on relationship quality and emotion work.
- Assessed emotion work as both a trait and a daily state.
- Measured six types of daily relationship quality: love, commitment, satisfaction, closeness, ambivalence, and conflict.
Main Results:
- Emotion work generally predicted higher average relationship quality and lower ambivalence.
- Gender differences were minimal for average relationship quality and daily fluctuations.
- Gender differences were significant for volatility: partner emotion work reduced volatility for women but increased it for men.
Conclusions:
- Daily emotion work is a significant predictor of relationship quality across different relationship types.
- While both genders benefit from emotion work, its impact on relationship volatility differs significantly by gender.
- Future research should explore the nuanced role of gender in emotion work and relationship dynamics.
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