An Exploration of Extradyadic Communicative Messages Following Relational Transgressions in Romantic Relationships

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the associations among relational characteristics and extradyadic communication with network members about a romantic partner's relational transgression. Investment Model components were assessed at Time 1 and used to predict communication of transgression-minimizing (i.e., evading responsibility, reducing offensiveness, explaining/justifying) and transgression-maximizing (i.e., accusation, criticism, threats) messages to friends and family at Time 2. The general pattern of results indicates that pretransgression relational characteristics influence communication of transgression-maximizing (but not transgression-minimizing) messages to network members. Further, transgression-maximizing messages were associated with decreases in posttransgression commitment, investments, and satisfaction and with increases in perceptions of quality relational alternatives. These findings support the importance of examining negative extradyadic communication about relational difficulties in romantic relationships.