Predicting Relationship Commitment and Relationship Stability from Both Partners' Relationship Values: Evidence from Heterosexual Dating Couples

Abstract

This study examined how the intrinsic and extrinsic relationship values of both partners from 130 dating heterosexual couples were related to each partner's relationship commitment and to 6-month relationship stability. Male partners' own relationship commitment was related to interactions between their own and their female partners' relationship values such that their own relationship commitment was positively related to their own intrinsic values when their female partners' intrinsic values were low and negatively related to their own extrinsic values when their female partners' extrinsic values were low. Female partners' own high relationship commitment was independently predicted by their own high intrinsic values, their own low extrinsic values, and their male partners' high intrinsic values. Relation-ship stability was predicted by female partners' low extrinsic values and an interaction between both partners' intrinsic values such that one partner's high intrinsic values were linked to relationship stability especially when the other partner also had high intrinsic values.

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