This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Caughlin, J. P. Articles by Vangelisti, A. L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

An Individual Difference Explanation of Why Married Couples Engage in the Demand/Withdraw Pattern of Conflict

University of Illinois, Urbana

Anita L. Vangelisti

University of Texas, Austin

Demand/withdraw is a pattern in which one spouse nags or complains while the other spouse avoids or withdraws. Given the fact that demand/withdraw has been repeatedly linked to marital discord, it is important to understand why couples engage in such a seemingly dissatisfying conflict pattern. Although several scholars have suggested that power differences between men and women lead to demand/withdraw, the research reported here focused on an alternative explanation: That individual differences are important contributors to demand/withdraw communication. In particular, two models connecting individual differences to demand/withdraw were examined. The first model, a self-influence model, suggested that individuals' attributes primarily affect their own communication behaviors. The second model, a relational influence model, posited that individuals' characteristics affect the extent that the couple (i.e., both partners) engages in demand/withdraw. Results supported both the self-influence and relational influence models. These findings imply that individual differences do contribute to demand/withdraw and suggest that there is a need for future research to investigate the exact nature of the association between individual differences and the demand/withdraw pattern of marital conflict.

Key Words: conflict • demand/withdraw • individual differences • marital interaction

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

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. J. CANARY, W. R. CUPACH, and R. T. SERPE A Competence-Based Approach to Examining Interpersonal Conflict: Test of a Longitudinal Model Communication Research, February 1, 2001; 28(1): 79 - 104. [Abstract] [PDF]