The Everyday Communication of Commitment: Testing an Integrated Model of Self-Construal, Cognition, Affect, Motivation and Communication

Abstract

People build and sustain their relationship commitment through their everyday communication. Two studies tested an integrated motivational model exploring the multiple ways relational self-construal, cognition, affect, and goals promote commitment-related communication in romantic relationships. Mediational analyses of survey data showed that when participants had higher relational self-construal, stronger commitment, more positive commitment-related affect, and stronger relationship approach goals, they (a) expressed their commitment to their partners more frequently (Study 1, N = 405) and (b) more often monitored their partner’s expressions of commitment (Study 2, N = 154). The findings underscore the integrated, holistic nature of the everyday communication of commitment.

Keywords:

• Commitment
• Communication Of Commitment
• Relationship Affect
• Relationship Goals
• Self-Construal

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Given that the integrated model is correlational, we also examined alternate models which tested RSC as a mediator and a moderator; however, we found no meaningful results of note, adding support to the integrated model investigated in this paper.

2. We again examined alternate models which tested RSC as a mediator and a moderator, and again found no meaningful results of note.

Additional information

Funding

This research was not supported by a grant.