Optimism in close relationships: How seeing things in a positive light makes them so - Srivastava, McGonigal, Richards, Butler, Gross (2006) - Article

What is this article about?

The central question in this article is whether optimists and their romantic partners are more satisfied in their relationships and - if this is the case - this is due to optimists who experience greater support from their partners. It appears that couples in conflict conversations are more constructive when they are more optimistic and they solve their problems better. Optimism seems to promote a variety of beneficial processes in romantic relationships.

What are the most important concepts in this chapter?

The most important concepts in this chapter are optimism, relationship satisfaction, perceived support and close relationships.

About the effect of optimism in close relationships

What is this article about?

The central question in this article is whether optimists and their romantic partners are more satisfied in their relationships and - if this is the case - this is due to optimists who experience greater support from their partners. It appears that couples in conflict conversations are more constructive when they are more optimistic and they solve their problems better. Optimism seems to promote a variety of beneficial processes in romantic relationships.

What are the most important concepts in this chapter?

The most important concepts in this chapter are optimism, relationship satisfaction, perceived support and close relationships.

What forms social perceptions?

Social perception arises in the spirit of the person who perceives it. This can be a fact that has very real consequences for his social life. This is especially true for romantic relationships.

The writers test various related hypotheses to discover whether optimism can be associated with a happier and longer lasting romantic relationship. Which?

The writers opted for two hypotheses, namely that optimists and their partners would have relationships from which they gained more satisfaction, these are also relationships in which they handle conflicts better. And as a second hypothesis: optimists have better relationship outcomes because they experience their partner as more supportive. Both hypotheses have the writers tested three situations:

1. in cross-sectional analyzes of couples;
2. in analyzes of how couples responded to a conflict interview;
3. in a follow-up one year later

According to the writers, what is the meaning of the term optimism?

The writers define the cognitive attitude to expect favorable results as optimism. Optimism has many advantages. For example, there is a connection between optimism and effective coping and positive mental and physical health outcomes and better social functioning.

Which two questions were leading when developing questions and hypotheses for the research?

The following two questions were central: what are the consequences of optimism with regard to satisfaction in close relationships (for both the optimist and the partner of the optimist) and, secondly, perceived support is the explanation for the relationship between optimism and relationship satisfaction?

Do experienced support and more positive involvement mediate the benefits of optimism?

According to the writers, their research shows that the effect of optimism indicates support. The effects of optimism explain a more satisfactory conflict resolution.

What did the writers investigate in the third part of their research?

In part three, the 1-year follow-up investigated whether the couples were still together a year later. They chose this period because couples are not as durable as marriages. It was therefore plausible to expect that sufficient relationships had failed. The writers needed this to be able to test the effect of optimism on the life of the relationship. The result showed that indeed seventy-five percent of couples with men were still together after the year.

According to the writers, perceived support probably helps relationships in different ways. Which ways do they name in particular?

The writers name three ways:

1. the tendency of optimists to support their partners may act as a buffer against negative attributions;
2. Optimists are more focused on the constructive things that their partner do and say instead of the negative elements of their partner;
3. Optimists usually act on a secure basis, making them a reliable source of support for their partner.