Stability and change in the complexity of senatorial debate: Testing the cog-nitive versus rhetorical style hypothesis." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 46:979-90. United States House of Representatives. 1974. Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States from George Washington 1789 to Richard Milhous Nixon 1973. House Document 93-208, 93rd Congress, 1st Session. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. Winter, David and Abigail J. Stewart. 1977. "Content analysis as a technique for assessing political leaders." Pp. 27-61 in The Psychological Examination of Political Leaders, edited by Margaret Herman. New York: Free Press.

A theory of couple patterns of problem solving that involves the Rusbult and Zembrodt (1983) exitvoice-loyalty-neglect typology of problem-solving responses is advanced and tested in a sample of dating relationships. Destructive problem-solving responses (exit and neglect) were more powerfully predictive of couple distress/nondistress than were constructive problem-solving behaviors (voice and loyalty). Tendencies to react with voice to mild relationship problems were also signihcantly predictive of couple functioning. Partner perceptions of one another's problem-solving styles were also related to couple distress/nondistress: Distress was greater to the extent that individuals perceived that their partners exhibit greater tendencies to engage in exit and neglect while showing lower levels of voice and (perhaps) loyalty. Certain interdependent patterns of partner problem solving were effectively predictive of couple health: Couple distress was greater to the degree that individuals reacted destructively and failed to respond constructively when their partners engage in destructive problem-solving responses. Reactions to partners' constructive responses were less effectively predictive of couple functioning. Thus it is the way in which partners react in response to destructive behaviors from their partners that is best predictive of relationship health. Lastly, in comparison with men, women engage in somewhat higher levels of voice and loyalty, and may behave less neglectfully. What determines whether a relationship will function successfully? Are certain couple patterns of problem solving more promotive of healthy functioning than others? One of the most important goals in the study of close relationships is to understand how couples react to inevitable, perhaps reparable, periodic decline and to identify the patterns of response that produce the most favorable consequences. Unfortunately, despite the abundance of theory and research devoted to understanding the development and deterioration of relationships (Altman & Taylor,

A survey of adult romantic involvements was conducted to test hypotheses regarding the determinants and consequences of four characteristic responses to dissatisfaction: exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect. In general, greater prior satisfaction with relationships and greater investment of resources in relationships were associated with stronger tendencies to react to problems constructively, with voice and loyalty, and lesser tendencies to react destructively, with exit and neglect. Higher quality alternatives promoted exit and inhibited loyalty. Greater problem severity encouraged exit and voice and discouraged loyalty. Voice and loyalty resulted in more favorable outcomes, better immediate consequences and greater later satisfaction and commitment, whereas exit and neglect produced less favorable consequences. The relationship between a variety of demographic characteristics and each category of response were also examined.

The goal of this study was to explore the association between the love styles endorsed by respondents and their romantic partners on the one hand, and the quality of their romantic involvements on the other. A sample of 186 couples at a large southern university completed a questionnaire that included a shortened version of Hendrick & Hendrick's (1986) Love Attitudes Scale (LAS) designed to assess six love styles originally proposed by Lee (1973). Both the individual's and partner's scores on the six love scales (Eros, Ludus, Storge, Pragma, Mania, Agape) were then examined as predictors of the structural qualities of the couple's relationship specified by Rusbult's (1980a, 1983) investment model. The results of correlational and multiple regression analyses indicated that the respondent's own love style scores were the best predictors of relationship quality. In particular, the endorsement of Eros and Agape were associated with higher levels of rewards, satisfaction, investments and commitment, lower levels of costs and poor alternative quality. Ludus showed the opposite associations with these same variables. The partner's love styles were also related to a number of relationship characteristics, although less strongly so. In addition, couples showed evidence of matching of love styles (with the exception of Ludus and Mania), and discrepancies in couples' love attitudes were related to negative outcomes for women but not for men. Finally, the associations between several demographic variables (relationship status, age, relationship duration) and respondents' love styles suggest that individuals' love attitudes may be subject to change as a result of time and/or experience. These findings suggest that individuals' beliefs about love have important implications with regard to the relationship outcomes experienced by both themselves and their romantic partners.

Three studies examined the relationship between self‐esteem and responses to periodic decline in close relationships. A four‐category typology of responses to dissatisfaction was utilized: exit — actively destroying the relationship; voice — actively and constructively attempting to improve conditions; loyalty — passively but optimistically waiting for conditions to improve; and neglect — passively allowing the relationship to deteriorate. It was hypothesized that individuals with stronger self‐esteem would attempt to solve problems in a more active fashion — with exit and voice — whereas those with weaker self‐esteem would react to problems in their relationships in a more passive manner — with loyalty and neglect. The relationship between self‐esteem and generalized problem‐solving styles was explored among university students in study 1, and among adults residing in the local community in study 2. Study 3 explored the relationship between self‐esteem and actual problem‐solving behaviour in the relationships of lesbians, gay males and heterosexual women and men. Consistent with predictions, a meta‐analysis of the results of the three studies revealed that individuals with stronger self‐esteem were more likely to engage in active exit behaviours and were less likely to react with passive neglect. However, self‐esteem was only weakly promotive of loyalty and was unrelated to voice behaviours. Thus, self‐esteem is an effective predictor of negative problem‐solving behaviours in close relationships.

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This article provides a review of the existent research on bisexuality and consolidates what data exists on bisexuals and bisexuality. This review includes those studies that could be located in which bisexuality was treated as a sexual orientation distinct from homosexuality. Several issues relevant to defining bisexuality are examined, as are factors involved in the adoption of a bisexual identity and problems associated with the maintenance of a bisexual lifestyle. In addition, a number of studies are reviewed that address differences between bisexuals and either heterosexuals or homosexuals. Only one study was located that examined individual differences within a bisexual sample. Finally, the traditional emphasis on the role of gender in partner selection is briefly examined and suggestions for future research into bisexuality are presented.

In two studies, we investigated whether individuals were accurate in perceiving weight-related attitudes of their romantic partner. We also investigated whether accuracy was moderated by whether the partner was currently attempting to lose weight, relationship commitment level, amount of discussion about weight and importance of weight. Each individual answered questions assessing their own weight concerns and perceptions, and similar questions assessing their partner's weight concerns and perceptions. We found evidence that perceptual inaccuracy of weight-related attitudes was greatest when one's partner was attempting to lose weight in relationships of shorter duration, lower commitment, or in which they rarely discussed weight. Self-ratings and partner's perceptions were positively correlated.