Do You See What I See? Actor and Partner Attachment Shape Biased Perceptions of Partners

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

The present research examined how actor and partner attachment insecurity relates to biases in perceptions of partners’ core relationship-relevant constructs. Across three dyadic studies (N couples = 333, N individuals = 666), we examined attachment anxiety and avoidance as predictors of over- or underestimation of partners’ relationship satisfaction, commitment, and responsiveness, using partners’ own reports as the reference point for evaluating bias. Actors higher in avoidance and actors with partners higher in avoidance perceived their partners to be less satisfied and committed. In addition, actors higher in avoidance and actors higher in anxiety displayed a pessimistic bias, perceiving their partners to be less satisfied and committed than their partners reported being. Finally, actors with partners higher in avoidance displayed an optimistic bias, perceiving their partners to be more satisfied and committed than their partners reported being. Results underscore the importance of adopting a dyadic perspective on perceptual biases in romantic relationships.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Vol/bind45
Udgave nummer4
Sider (fra-til)587-602
Antal sider16
ISSN0146-1672
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2019
Eksternt udgivetJa

Bibliografisk note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

ID: 291121692