TY - JOUR
T1 - Implicit Theories of Relationships and Close Relationship Violence
T2 - Does Believing Your Relationship Can Grow Relate to Lower Perpetration of Violence?
AU - Cobb, Rebecca A.
AU - DeWall, C. Nathan
AU - Lambert, Nathaniel M.
AU - Fincham, Frank D.
PY - 2013/3
Y1 - 2013/3
N2 - People differ in what they think makes for a successful relationship, but it is unclear how these beliefs relate to the perpetration of violence. Four studies (N = 2,591) examined the relationship between growth beliefs and the perpetration of violence in close relationships. Specifically, the current work tested the hypothesis that growth beliefs mitigate against close relationship violence, possibly due to increased satisfaction with sacrificing one's own self-interest for the betterment of the relationship. Studies 1 and 2 provided cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence that growth beliefs predicted less perpetration of close relationship violence. Studies 3 and 4 showed that the relationship between growth beliefs and lower perpetration of violence was mediated by satisfaction with sacrifice within one's relationship. All effects of growth beliefs remained significant after controlling for destiny beliefs. Discussion centers on the importance of implicit theories of relationships for understanding the perpetration of violence in close relationships.
AB - People differ in what they think makes for a successful relationship, but it is unclear how these beliefs relate to the perpetration of violence. Four studies (N = 2,591) examined the relationship between growth beliefs and the perpetration of violence in close relationships. Specifically, the current work tested the hypothesis that growth beliefs mitigate against close relationship violence, possibly due to increased satisfaction with sacrificing one's own self-interest for the betterment of the relationship. Studies 1 and 2 provided cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence that growth beliefs predicted less perpetration of close relationship violence. Studies 3 and 4 showed that the relationship between growth beliefs and lower perpetration of violence was mediated by satisfaction with sacrifice within one's relationship. All effects of growth beliefs remained significant after controlling for destiny beliefs. Discussion centers on the importance of implicit theories of relationships for understanding the perpetration of violence in close relationships.
KW - aggression
KW - growth beliefs
KW - implicit theories of relationships
KW - intimate partner violence
KW - relationship violence
KW - sacrifice
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U2 - 10.1177/0146167212473159
DO - 10.1177/0146167212473159
M3 - Article
C2 - 23376887
AN - SCOPUS:84873743629
SN - 0146-1672
VL - 39
SP - 279
EP - 290
JO - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
JF - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
IS - 3
ER -