Abstract
Do partners’ levels of self-control and forgiveness change over the course of marriage? Based on the idea that marriage may function as a training ground for these vital relationship abilities, we hypothesized that people increase their levels of self-control and forgiveness over time and that these developments take place simultaneously. We tested these predictions among 199 newlywed couples in the first 4 years of marriage, using a dyadic latent growth curves analysis. Confirming our hypotheses, results showed significant increases in self-control and forgiveness as well as a positive concurrent correlation between these variables. However, the developments of self-control and forgiveness were unrelated. So, while people become more self-controlled and forgiving over the course of a marriage, these developments do not coincide.
Keywords: Forgiveness, marriage, romantic relationships, self-control
Keywords: Forgiveness, marriage, romantic relationships, self-control
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 109-130 |
Journal | Journal of Social and Personal Relationships |
Volume | 36 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2019 |
Keywords
- AGGRESSION
- CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
- COGNITIVE CONTROL
- COMMITMENT
- CONTROL PROMOTES
- EXECUTIVE CONTROL
- Forgiveness
- GENDER
- HEALTH
- MARITAL QUALITY
- RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION
- marriage
- romantic relationships
- self-control