![]() ![]() What contributes to these variations in commitment? Relationship decisions are rarely as clear cut as “should I stay or should I go?” Instead, people experience subtle shifts in their commitment that build up over time. It lends some order to the chaos by helping to identify what’s most important. That relationship doubts are so common and people are often conflicted about what to do are what make this kind of research potentially helpful. See the problem? Participants were motivated to stay with their partner at the same time they were motivated to end things. However, those same exact people simultaneously had an above-average inclination to leave, meaning they rated themselves as leaning toward breaking up. Roughly half of these participants reported feeling, on balance, more inclined to stay in the troubled relationship. How do individuals factor them into real-life decisions of whether to stay or go? To find out, the researchers did a follow-up study with over 200 people who were contemplating breaking up or getting a divorce. ![]() These included many of the same themes as the reasons to stay, but focused on the negative side – things like a partner’s problematic personality, acts of deception or cheating, emotional distance, lack of support and insufficient emotional or physical intimacy. Participants also suggested 23 general reasons to leave. They also factored in practical issues, including potential family disruption and financial implications. They considered pluses, such as the desirable aspects of their partner’s personality and how much fun they had together. People were reluctant to lose the time and effort they had already invested and were fearful of being alone. These focused on key relationship components such as attraction, physical and emotional intimacy and support. People came up with 27 broad reasons for staying. Out of all the specific circumstances, 50 common themes emerged. To learn more about what people actually consider, psychology researchers Samantha Joel, Geoff Macdonald and Elizabeth Page-Gould asked over 400 individuals who were questioning their own relationship: “ What are some reasons someone might give for wanting to stay with or leave their romantic partner?” It feels as if there could be as many reasons someone would decide to maintain or end a relationship as there are relationships. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |