Social Exchange Orientation and Conflict Communication in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Prior research has not conclusively established how individuals' social exchange orientation (EO) affects their communication in, and satisfaction with, romantic relationships. Surveying 466 individuals in romantic relationships, we found that concern about being underbenefitted was more strongly correlated with conflict behaviors than concern about overbenefittedness, and that conflict communication influenced the relationship between exchange orientation and relationship satisfaction. We discuss the need for further research to discover how EO may influence communication patterns as relationships develop.

Keywords:

• Conflict
• Conflict Tactics
• Relationship Satisfaction
• Romantic Relationships
• Social Exchange Orientation

Notes

∗Significant at the p < .05.

†Significant at the p < .001 level.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy M. Bippus

Amy M. Bippus (PhD, University of Texas) is an associate professor at the Department of Communication Studies, California State University, Long Beach, California, USA.

Justin P. Boren

Justin P. Boren (MA, California State University, Long Beach) is a doctoral student at the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.

Sabrina Worsham

Sabrina Worsham (MA, California State University, Long Beach) is a doctoral student in the Department of Speech Communication, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, USA.