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ABSTRACT
The study reported in this research note sought to extend the research on motivated empathic accuracy by exploring whether intimate partners who are highly motivated to induce change in their partner during conflicts will be more empathically accurate than partners who are less motivated. In a laboratory experiment, the partners within 26 cohabiting couples were randomly assigned the role of conflict initiator. The partners provided questionnaire data, participated in a videotaped conflict interaction, and completed a video-review task. More blaming behavior was associated with higher levels of empathic accuracy, irrespective of whether one was the conflict initiator or not. The results also showed a two-way interaction indicating that initiators who applied more pressure on their partners to change were less empathically accurate than initiators who applied less pressure, whereas their partners could counter this pressure when they could accurately “read” the initiator’s thoughts and feelings.
Notes
1. Although the primary motives for engaging in demanding behavior in conflict situations are to improve one’s own outcomes and relative power in the relationship, such behavior might also enhance empathic accuracy because of its potential to further these goals.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Céline Hinnekens
Céline Hinnekens obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently working as a PhD student in the Family Lab at Ghent University. Her research interests focus on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects of everyday mind-reading, we-ness, and pronoun usage in couples. William Ickes is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a coeditor of the three-volume series New Directions in Attribution Research and the author of Everyday Mind Reading (2003) and Strangers in a Strange Lab (2009). His research on empathic accuracy has received three international research awards. Maarten De Schryver obtained a Master's degree in Psychology in 2005 and a Master's degree in Statistical Data Analysis in 2013 at Ghent University. He currently works as Statistical Consultant at the Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Ghent. Lesley L. Verhofstadt is an Assistant Professor of Family Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium. Her research focuses on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive processes underlying relationship dissatisfaction. She is a trained couple therapist and the co-organizer of the Postgraduate Training Program in Couple, Family, and Systemic Psychotherapy at Ghent University.
William Ickes
Céline Hinnekens obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently working as a PhD student in the Family Lab at Ghent University. Her research interests focus on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects of everyday mind-reading, we-ness, and pronoun usage in couples. William Ickes is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a coeditor of the three-volume series New Directions in Attribution Research and the author of Everyday Mind Reading (2003) and Strangers in a Strange Lab (2009). His research on empathic accuracy has received three international research awards. Maarten De Schryver obtained a Master's degree in Psychology in 2005 and a Master's degree in Statistical Data Analysis in 2013 at Ghent University. He currently works as Statistical Consultant at the Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Ghent. Lesley L. Verhofstadt is an Assistant Professor of Family Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium. Her research focuses on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive processes underlying relationship dissatisfaction. She is a trained couple therapist and the co-organizer of the Postgraduate Training Program in Couple, Family, and Systemic Psychotherapy at Ghent University.
Maarten De Schryver
Céline Hinnekens obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently working as a PhD student in the Family Lab at Ghent University. Her research interests focus on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects of everyday mind-reading, we-ness, and pronoun usage in couples. William Ickes is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a coeditor of the three-volume series New Directions in Attribution Research and the author of Everyday Mind Reading (2003) and Strangers in a Strange Lab (2009). His research on empathic accuracy has received three international research awards. Maarten De Schryver obtained a Master's degree in Psychology in 2005 and a Master's degree in Statistical Data Analysis in 2013 at Ghent University. He currently works as Statistical Consultant at the Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Ghent. Lesley L. Verhofstadt is an Assistant Professor of Family Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium. Her research focuses on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive processes underlying relationship dissatisfaction. She is a trained couple therapist and the co-organizer of the Postgraduate Training Program in Couple, Family, and Systemic Psychotherapy at Ghent University.
Lesley L. Verhofstadt
Céline Hinnekens obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently working as a PhD student in the Family Lab at Ghent University. Her research interests focus on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects of everyday mind-reading, we-ness, and pronoun usage in couples. William Ickes is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a coeditor of the three-volume series New Directions in Attribution Research and the author of Everyday Mind Reading (2003) and Strangers in a Strange Lab (2009). His research on empathic accuracy has received three international research awards. Maarten De Schryver obtained a Master's degree in Psychology in 2005 and a Master's degree in Statistical Data Analysis in 2013 at Ghent University. He currently works as Statistical Consultant at the Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Ghent. Lesley L. Verhofstadt is an Assistant Professor of Family Psychology at Ghent University, Belgium. Her research focuses on behavioral, emotional, and cognitive processes underlying relationship dissatisfaction. She is a trained couple therapist and the co-organizer of the Postgraduate Training Program in Couple, Family, and Systemic Psychotherapy at Ghent University.