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Demand behavior and empathic accuracy in observed conflict interactions in couples
Céline Hinnekens1, William Ickes2, Maarten De Schryver1
1a Ghent University.
The Journal of Social Psychology
|November 14, 2015
Summary
Intimate partners trying to change each other during conflict are less accurately empathic. However, partners who understand their partner's thoughts and feelings can counteract this pressure.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Communication Studies
Background:
- Motivated empathic accuracy is crucial for relationship functioning.
- Previous research has not fully explored the role of motivation to induce change on empathic accuracy during conflict.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if intimate partners motivated to induce change are more or less empathically accurate.
- To examine the influence of conflict initiation and pressure to change on empathic accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiment with 26 cohabiting couples.
- Random assignment to conflict initiator roles.
- Data collection via questionnaires, videotaped conflict interactions, and video-review tasks.
Main Results:
- Higher levels of blaming behavior correlated with increased empathic accuracy for both initiators and receivers.
- Conflict initiators exerting more pressure to change were less empathically accurate.
- Partners could effectively counter pressure when they accurately perceived the initiator's internal state.
Conclusions:
- Motivation to induce change can impair empathic accuracy in intimate conflicts.
- Accurate perception of a partner's thoughts and feelings is key to navigating and countering pressure during conflict.
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