Emotion in close relationships

This study examined spontaneous and forced choice elicitations of emotion within the context of happy and unhappy dating relationships. Seventy-one subjects (35 men and 36 women> in long term relationships were given 20 hypothetical relationship behaviours, 10 positive and 10 negative. Five behavioural events in each set of 10 were self-initiated and five were partner-initiated. Subjects imagined each behaviour occurring and tape recorded their subsequent thoughts and feelings. Subjects then chose one of 16 emotion categories, derived from Roseman’s (1984) cognitive model of emotion, that best described their feeling about the event. They also indicated how much control they perceived they and their partners had over the event. Emotional expressions from the verbal protocols were coded into the same set of 16 categories, and these spontaneous and forced choice measures achieved strong convergent validity. Results showed patterns of elicited emotions varied significantly depending on behaviour valency and, to a lesser degree, the initiator of the behaviour. Specific hypotheses derived from Roseman’s model relating particular emotional responses to relationship happiness were net supported. Theoretical and methodological implications are discussed