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Emotional behavior in long-term marriage

L L Carstensen1, J M Gottman, R W Levenson

  • 1Department of Psychology, Stanford University, California 94305, USA.

Psychology and Aging
|March 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Older couples navigate marital conflict with less negative emotion and more affection than middle-aged couples. Gender and satisfaction also influence emotional expression in long-term marriages.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Understanding the emotional dynamics of long-term marriages is crucial for relationship health.
  • Previous research indicates age and marital satisfaction can impact couple interactions.
  • Specific emotional behaviors during conflict resolution require further investigation across different age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine emotional behaviors during marital problem discussions in middle-aged and older couples.
  • To investigate how age, gender, and marital satisfaction influence emotional expression in long-term marriages.

Main Methods:

  • Employed an observational coding system to analyze emotional behaviors.
  • Studied 156 couples varying in age and marital satisfaction.
  • Focused on discussions of a marital problem to capture conflict resolution dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Older couples exhibited less negative and more affectionate conflict resolution compared to middle-aged couples.
  • Significant differences were observed based on age, gender, and marital satisfaction.
  • Wives displayed more negative affect than husbands, who were more defensive; unhappy marriages showed greater negative affect exchange.

Conclusions:

  • Marital conflict resolution strategies and emotional expression evolve with age.
  • Gender roles and satisfaction levels significantly shape the emotional climate within long-term marriages.
  • Findings highlight distinct patterns of emotional interaction across different demographic and satisfaction groups.

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