Conflict Tactics and the Level of Emotional Commitment Among Unmarrieds

Bibliographic Data

ID9891985
AuthorsRobert E Billingham (Indiana University, corresponding author), Alan R Sack (West Virginia University)
Year1987
Volume40
Issue1
Pages59-74
Publication date1987-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Relations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-7267 • E-ISSN: 1741-282X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/001872678704000105
OpenAlexW2161773508
LanguageEN
Citations received37
References cited11

The responses of 690 college students were analyzed to determine if the level of emotional commitment in their relationship affected the type of conflict tactics used. Significant differences were found between the lowest level and higher levels of commitment for the Reasoning and the Verbal Aggression subscales while no differences were found among the levels of commitment based on the Violence subscale. The Reasoning score increased significantly at the point when the subject became emotionally attached to his or her partner. Also, females reported significantly higher Reasoning and Verbal Aggression scores than did the males. The study indicated that at the point the subjects decide that their partner was a potential mate, major distortions occurred in how the subjects view the partners' conflict tactics behaviors. This period of distortion is referred to as the period of partner idolization and its impact on both the respondent's and their partner's behavior is discussed

Aggression · Developmental psychology · Respondent · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Marriage and Sexual Relationships · Psychology · Social Psychology

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