Planning date nights that promote closeness

The roles of relationship goals and self-expansion

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2933591
AutoresCheryl Harasymchuk (0000-0002-9872-0035, Carleton University, autor correspondente), Deanna L Walker (0000-0002-0604-1028, Western University, Canada), Amy Muise (0000-0002-9000-4106, York University), Stephanie Raposo (0000-0002-5338-5253, York University), Emily Impett (0000-0003-3348-7524, University of Toronto Mississauga)
Ano2021
Volume38
Fascículo5
Páginas1692-1709
Data de publicação2021-05-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/02654075211000436
PMID34121791
OpenAlexW3136390851
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas16
Referências citadas34

Spending time with a romantic partner by going on dates is important for promoting closeness in established relationships; however, not all date nights are created equally, and some people might be more adept at planning dates that promote closeness. Drawing from the self-expansion model and relationship goals literature, we predicted that people higher (vs. lower) in approach relationship goals would be more likely to plan dates that are more exciting and, in turn, experience more self-expansion from the date and increased closeness with the partner. In Study 1, people in intimate relationships planned a date to initiate with their partners and forecasted the expected level of self-expansion and closeness from engaging in the date. In Study 2, a similar design was employed, but we also followed up with participants 1 week later to ask about the experience of engaging in their planned dates (e.g., self-expansion, closeness from the date). Taken together, the results suggest that people with higher (vs. lower) approach relationship goals derive more closeness from their dates, in part, because of their greater aptitude for planning dates that are more exciting and promote self-expansion

Closeness · Developmental psychology · Psychoanalysis · Romance · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Psychology