Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Register here to gain access to SAGE's 500+ Journals Online

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Solomon, D. H.
Right arrow Articles by Samp, J. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 15, No. 2, 191-209 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/0265407598152004

Power and Problem Appraisal: Perceptual Foundations of the Chilling Effect in Dating Relationships

Denise Haunani Solomon

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jennifer Anne Samp

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Previous research indicating that a dating partner's power exerts a chilling effect on confrontation has highlighted the role of anticipated negative consequences in decisions to withhold complaints. We suggested that a second reason for avoiding confrontation, perceiving problems to be trivial, is also promoted by attributing power to dating partners. We investigated the extent to which perceptions of a partner's power influenced the appraised severity of hypothetical problem scenarios and the likelihood that individuals would avoid confrontation in those situations. Results indicated that attributing either dependence or punitive power to dating partners corresponded with less severe appraisals of problems and plans to avoid confrontation. Contrary to our expectations, problem severity appraisals did not mediate associations between perceptions of a partner's power and plans to avoid confrontation. The discussion highlights the implications of these results for investigations of power in dating relationships and research on relationship maintenance.

Key Words: conflict avoidance • confrontation • dependence • power


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 AffiliaHome page
D. R. Hodge and C. A. Lietz
The International Sexual Trafficking of Women and Children: A Review of the Literature
Affilia, May 1, 2007; 22(2): 163 - 174.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Communication ResearchHome page
J. A. Theiss and D. H. Solomon
A Relational Turbulence Model of Communication About Irritations in Romantic Relationships
Communication Research, October 1, 2006; 33(5): 391 - 418.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Journal of Social and Personal RelationshipsHome page
D. H. Solomon and L. K. Knobloch
A model of relational turbulence: The role of intimacy, relational uncertainty, and interference from partners in appraisals of irritations
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, December 1, 2004; 21(6): 795 - 816.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Journal of Social and Personal RelationshipsHome page
R. Cole
Lying to the One you Love: The Use of Deception in Romantic Relationships
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 2001; 18(1): 107 - 129.
[Abstract] [PDF]