COMM227 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Nonverbal Communication, Interpersonal Relationship
1 Jun 2018
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CH 11, pp 237-242
Marital Distress
● Communication is at the heart of most cases of marital distress
● Fitzpatrick (1988) observed that there are three sets of factors that predict marital
distress:
○ Premarital factors
○ Social and economic factors
○ Interpersonal relationship factors (the largest set)
● Marital communication patterns have proven to be key predictors of subsequent declines
in marital satisfaction
Marital Satisfaction Reliably Changes Over Time
● Married couples’ satisfaction with their relationship decreases over the first 3-6 years of
marriage
○ Two hypotheses
■ The presence of children causes marital satisfaction to decline
■ The “honeymoon” effect eventually wears off
○ Level of satisfaction rebounds 15-20 years into marriage after children start
leaving home and levels of marital conflict tend to simmer down
● Marital satisfaction levels form a U-curve
Marital Distress is Strongly Associated with Negativity in Husband-Wife Interactions
● Communication is marked by disagreement, criticism, and guilt induction
● Negative communication behaviors and negative emotions displayed in interactions are
causally related
● One pattern that distinguishes the interactions of distressed and nondistressed couples
is not just the amount of negativity and negative affect, but rather the reciprocity of
negative affect
● Cross complaining
○ Complaints are met with complaints
● Declines in marital satisfaction
○ Wives’ tendency to feel negative emotions when confronted with various
problems
○ Husbands pessimism
● Confrontation effect
○ In the long run it may be better to confront the spouse with one’s own anger and
frustration
The Demand Withdrawal Pattern is Harmful to Marital Satisfaction
● Repeatedly linked with distress and divorce
● One spouse (usually the wife) presents a complaint, demand, or criticism
● The other spouse (usually the husband) responds by withdrawal and defensiveness
● Reflects an unresolved discrepancy within the couple over desires for closeness vs
distance
Document Summary
Communication is at the heart of most cases of marital distress. Fitzpatrick (1988) observed that there are three sets of factors that predict marital distress: Marital communication patterns have proven to be key predictors of subsequent declines in marital satisfaction. Married couples" satisfaction with their relationship decreases over the first 3-6 years of marriage. The presence of children causes marital satisfaction to decline. Level of satisfaction rebounds 15-20 years into marriage after children start leaving home and levels of marital conflict tend to simmer down. Marital distress is strongly associated with negativity in husband-wife interactions. Communication is marked by disagreement, criticism, and guilt induction. Negative communication behaviors and negative emotions displayed in interactions are causally related. One pattern that distinguishes the interactions of distressed and nondistressed couples is not just the amount of negativity and negative affect, but rather the reciprocity of negative affect. Wives" tendency to feel negative emotions when confronted with various problems.
