Turbulence, framing, and planning among college daters: testing relational turbulence theory in a dyadic, lab study

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2024

Abstract

Engaging relational turbulence theory (RTT), this study examined how dating partners’ relationship quality predicted cognitions and communication during planning conversations. In a lab-based study, college dating partners (n = 71 different gender couples) assessed their relational turbulence, participated in two planning activities, and then reported their perceptions of collaborative planning and relational framing for each activity. Outside observers rated the conversations for collaborative planning, dominance, and affiliation behaviors. Following RTT, we hypothesized that relational turbulence would lead to decreases in collaborative planning and engagement in more negative relational frames. Actor–partner interdependence models with repeated measures indicated differing effects on participant perception and outsider observations of the variables. Results provide support for RTT’s relatively untested propositions, suggest potential gender differences among different gender dating partners’ experiences, and reiterate the complexity of relational communication among dating partners.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Human Communication Research

First Page

492

Last Page

503

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