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The Association between Compassionate Goals and Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal
Tao Jiang1, Amy Canevello2, Jonathan S Gore3
1Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University.
Summary
Compassionate goals are linked to a strong sense of self connected to others. Being responsive to relationship partners enhances this relational self-construal over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Self-Concept Research
Background:
- Relational self-construal, the extent to which the self is defined through relationships, has been studied for its consequences.
- However, the psychological predictors of relational self-construal remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between compassionate goals and relational self-construal.
- To examine whether compassionate goals predict changes in relational self-construal over time.
- To explore the mediating role of responsiveness to relationship partners.
Main Methods:
- Four studies were conducted involving college students and adults in romantic relationships.
- Data were collected at multiple time points for some studies to assess changes over time.
- Statistical analyses, including mediation analyses, were used to examine the relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- Compassionate goals were positively associated with relational self-construal across different populations.
- Compassionate goals predicted increases in relational self-construal over time.
- Responsiveness to relationship partners mediated the link between compassionate goals and relational self-construal.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with compassionate goals tend to possess a more relational self-construal.
- Compassionate goals foster relational self-construal through increased responsiveness to relationship partners.
- This research highlights the importance of compassionate goals in shaping how individuals perceive themselves in relation to others.
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