Skip to main content

Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Robins, RW; Caspi, A; Moffitt, TE
Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology
August 2000

This research tested 6 models of the independent and interactive effects of stable personality traits on each partner's reports of relationship satisfaction and quality. Both members of 360 couples (N = 720) completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire and were interviewed about their relationship. Findings show that a woman's relationship happiness is predicted by her partner's low Negative Emotionality, high Positive Emotionality, and high Constraint, whereas a man's relationship happiness is predicted only by his partner's low Negative Emotionality. Findings also show evidence of additive but not interactive effects: Each partner's personality contributed independently to relationship outcomes but not in a synergistic way. These results are discussed in relation to models that seek to integrate research on individual differences in personality traits with research on interpersonal processes in intimate relationships.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

August 2000

Volume

79

Issue

2

Start / End Page

251 / 259

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Temperament
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Spouses
  • Social Psychology
  • Sex Factors
  • Self-Assessment
  • Regression Analysis
  • Personality Development
  • Personality
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Robins, R. W., Caspi, A., & Moffitt, T. E. (2000). Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(2), 251–259. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.79.2.251
Robins, R. W., A. Caspi, and T. E. Moffitt. “Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 79, no. 2 (August 2000): 251–59. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.79.2.251.
Robins RW, Caspi A, Moffitt TE. Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2000 Aug;79(2):251–9.
Robins, R. W., et al. “Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 79, no. 2, Aug. 2000, pp. 251–59. Epmc, doi:10.1037//0022-3514.79.2.251.
Robins RW, Caspi A, Moffitt TE. Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2000 Aug;79(2):251–259.

Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

August 2000

Volume

79

Issue

2

Start / End Page

251 / 259

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Temperament
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Spouses
  • Social Psychology
  • Sex Factors
  • Self-Assessment
  • Regression Analysis
  • Personality Development
  • Personality