Power and the pursuit of a partner's goals.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

We investigated how power dynamics in close relationships influence the tendency to devote resources to the pursuit of goals valued by relationship partners, hypothesizing that low (vs. high) power in relationships would lead individuals to center their individual goal pursuit around the goals of their partners. We study 2 related phenomena: partner goal prioritization, whereby individuals pursue goals on behalf of their partners, and partner goal contagion, whereby individuals identify and adopt as their own the goals that their partner pursues. We tested our ideas in 5 studies that employed diverse research methods, including lab experiments and dyadic studies of romantic partners, and multiple types of dependent measures, including experience sampling reports, self-reported goal commitment, and behavioral goal pursuit in a variety of goal domains. Despite this methodological diversity, the studies provided clear and consistent evidence that individuals with low power in their relationships are especially likely to engage in both partner goal prioritization and partner goal contagion. (PsycINFO Database Record

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Laurin, K; Fitzsimons, GM; Finkel, EJ; Carswell, KL; vanDellen, MR; Hofmann, W; Lambert, NM; Eastwick, PW; Fincham, FD; Brown, PC

Published Date

  • June 2016

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 110 / 6

Start / End Page

  • 840 - 868

PubMed ID

  • 27281354

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1939-1315

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0022-3514

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1037/pspi0000048

Language

  • eng