Different Partners, Different Selves: Strategic Verification of Circumscribed Identities
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-2002
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672022812007
Abstract
It is proposed that people negotiate and receive verification for highly positive, relationship-specific selves. Study 1 indicated that although people wanted evaluations that were roughly consistent with their self-views on most dimensions, on a dimension that was crucial to a specific relationship (physical attractiveness in dating relationships) they wanted evaluations that far exceeded their self-views. Studies 2 and 3 showed that participants recognized that their desired evaluations exceeded their self-views but they expected to—and actually did—evoke exalted appraisals of their attractiveness from dating partners. Study 4 suggested that the desire to receive exceptionally positive appraisals on relationship-relevant dimensions generalized to other self-views and same-sex, nonromantic relationship partners. The authors conclude that people find ways of circumventing the conflict between their desires to be valued yet understood.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
No
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, v. 28, issue 9, p. 1215-1228
Scholar Commons Citation
Swann, William B. Jr.; Bosson, Jennifer K.; and Pelham, Brett W., "Different Partners, Different Selves: Strategic Verification of Circumscribed Identities" (2002). Psychology Faculty Publications. 1193.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/psy_facpub/1193
