Attachment, Identity Gaps, and Communication and Relational Outcomes in Marital Couples’ Public Performances

Abstract

Marital couples’ public performances require the joint communication of two individuals to present a unique entity—the relationship, while remaining true to each partner’s identity. As such, couples are at a greater risk of experiencing identity gaps and their adverse effects. In this study, 153 married couples completed measures about their attachment, personal-enacted and couple-enacted identity gaps, their degrees of communication satisfaction, feelings of being understood, relational satisfaction, and commitment. Results revealed several actor and partner effects for husbands and wives’ attachment with identity gap experiences. Partner effects were also found for identity gaps with communication satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and commitment supporting the communicative nature of identity gaps. Ultimately, identity gaps appear to affect husbands and wives’ sense of “we-ness” surrounding public performances.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study is based on Carrie Kennedy-Lightsey’s dissertation, which was directed by Matthew Martin. The authors would like to thank Melanie Booth-Butterfield, Megan Dillow, and Ernest Goeres for their insightful feedback as well as Loreen Olson, Jordan Soliz, and anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions.