Weight-related social control and relationship quality

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate accuracy and bias effects in partners' reports and perceptions of diet-and exercise-related social control in conjunction with their relationship satisfaction. Actor-partner interdependence mediation models (APIMeM) were used to examine the reports of diet-and exercise-related social control in 192 couples. In line with the accuracy and bias framework, we found that couples are accurate and biased with regard to their social control attempts and that accuracy and bias were associated with relationship satisfaction for positive social control. Individuals also reported greater relationship satisfaction when they reported using less negative social control and when they perceived more positive social control from their partners. These findings provide corroboration for self-reports of social influence in close relationships while simultaneously demonstrating bias in perceptions of partners' social control and highlighting concurrent associations with people's relationship satisfaction.

Interpersonal effects of health-related social control: Positive and negative influence, partner health transformations, and relationship quality

“…One item, persuade (used influence to get partner to engage in healthy behaviors), loaded onto both factors and was dropped. The majority of the positive and negative social control items in this study align with previous research (Burke & Segrin, 2016).…”

“…The existing research in this area suggests that a halo effect exists: that more positive influence is often associated with better relationship quality outcomes (Markey et al, 2007), and that people often attribute more positive motives to a partner’s social control behaviors if they are satisfied in their relationship (Knoll, Burkert, Scholz, Roigas, & Gralla, 2012). Although few studies examine positive and negative health-related messages from a dyadic perspective, evidence suggests that receiving positive social control messages is related to greater partner relationship satisfaction (Burke & Segrin, 2016).…”

“…Within the context of romantic relationships, individuals’ receptivity to influence may also be explained by interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978), which outlines the circumstances in which people make behavior changes for their partner or relationship. Given that health-related influence (Burke & Segrin, 2016) and interdependence (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978) are both associated with relationship satisfaction, this study examined behavior change and relationship satisfaction as outcomes of receiving positive and negative social control. This study builds on and extends previous research by fusing social control and interdependence theories to better understand how relationship satisfaction is associated with receiving positive and negative health-related social control communication from one’s romantic partner.…”

Self, partner, and relationship motivations for healthy and unhealthy behaviors

“…For example, people in relationships often end up changing their eating or exercise habits to maintain harmony and align with a partner's wishes (Craig & Truswell, 1990;Hong et al, 2005;Treiber et al, 1991). Social control research indicates that couples do engage in health-enhancing social influence and that relational partners perceive this influence in their relationships (Burke & Segrin, 2016); however, the current study is focused on understanding partners' identification of relational motives for their health behaviors.…”