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The Ups and Downs of Dating: Fluctuations in Satisfaction in Newly Formed Romantic Relationships

May 2001
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 80(5):754-765

DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.80.5.754

Authors:

Purdue University West Lafayette

This research examined the association between relationship satisfaction and later breakup status, focusing on the temporal changes in satisfaction ratings of individuals in newly formed dating relationships. Growth curve analytic techniques were used in 2 longitudinal studies to create 4 predictors: each participant's initial level of satisfaction, linear trend in satisfaction over time, degree of fluctuation in satisfaction over time, and mean level of satisfaction. Consistent with hypotheses, individuals who exhibited greater fluctuation in their repeated satisfaction ratings were more likely to be in relationships that eventually ended, even after controlling for overall level of satisfaction. Individuals with fluctuating levels of satisfaction also reported relatively lower commitment. The results are discussed in terms of conditions that promote versus undermine relationship stability.

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INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AND GROUP PROCESSES

The Ups and Downs of Dating: Fluctuations in Satisfaction in Newly

Formed Romantic Relationships

Ximena B. Arriaga

Purdue University

This research examined the association between relationship satisfaction and later breakup status,

focusing on the temporal changes in satisfaction ratings of individuals in newly formed dating relation-

ships.

Growth curve analytic techniques were used in 2 longitudinal studies to create 4 predictors: each

participant's initial level of satisfaction, linear trend in satisfaction over time, degree of fluctuation in

satisfaction over time, and mean level of satisfaction. Consistent with hypotheses, individuals who

exhibited greater fluctuation in their repeated satisfaction ratings were more likely to be in relationships

that eventually ended, even after controlling for overall level of satisfaction. Individuals with fluctuating

levels of satisfaction also reported relatively lower commitment. The results are discussed in terms of

conditions that promote versus undermine relationship stability.

How is it that early experiences in dating relationships shape

long-term outcomes? It is commonly assumed that feelings of

satisfaction figure prominently in directing the course of new

relationships—satisfied individuals seek further and deeper in-

volvement with a partner, whereas dissatisfied individuals consider

distancing themselves. However, in reality there is more to what

transpires in the early stages of dating relationships than is cap-

tured by the overly simplistic statement that one is either generally

satisfied or not satisfied (Berscheid & Lopes, 1997). Indeed, newly

initiated relationships may be experienced in vastly different ways.

For some individuals, the early stages are characterized by con-

sistent feelings and experiences that make it possible to know

whether the relationship is worth pursuing. For others, the early

period is a time of substantial uncertainty marked by moments of

irrepressible attraction and other moments of stark disappointment

(Braiker & Kelley, 1979), rendering the fate of the relationship

unknowable. Rather than assess general relationship experiences

by measuring only an individual's overall level of relationship

satisfaction, assessing the extent of consistency versus volatility in

level of satisfaction may provide a window into more specific

experiences that are strongly related to the future of the relation-

ship.

The current research examined temporal fluctuations in in-

dividuals' levels of relationship satisfaction to determine whether

vacillations in satisfaction undermine relationship stability.

This research was supported in part by National Institute of Mental

Health Grant 1-F31-MH11174-01. I thank Caryl Rusbult and Harold

Kelley for inspiring my interest in interdependence theory, which has

guided the major ideas examined in this research.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ximena

Arriaga, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University,

West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1364. Electronic mail may be sent to

arriaga@purdue.edu.

There are several approaches to address the dynamic processes

that characterize newly formed romantic relationships (Karney &

Bradbury, 1995). A relatively static approach is to predict key

relationship outcomes by characterizing an involvement at a single

point in time. A second approach is to measure variables at two

time periods to characterize what transpires on average in between

the two measurement occasions (for instance, demonstrating that

relatively more satisfied couple members are more likely to be

together at a later point in time). The current research follows a

growing trend in longitudinal research, that of assessing change

over multiple time periods (Bradbury, 1998; Burchinal & Appel-

baum, 1991). Two longitudinal studies on individuals in newly

formed romantic relationships were conducted, each involving 10

measurement occasions and a follow-up. Using growth curve

analytic techniques (cf. Karney & Bradbury, 1995), the current

research examined specific temporal changes in relationship sat-

isfaction to shed light on the mechanism by which satisfaction

exerts an effect on relationship stability.

Predicting Relationship Stability

A review of the sizable literature on relationship stability reveals

several factors that can increase the odds of relationship breakup

(cf. Berscheid & Reis, 1998). For instance, couple members in

relationships that end exhibit relatively low levels of satisfaction

and closeness (Simpson, 1987) and high rates of negative interac-

tions and negative communication styles (Gottman & Levenson,

1992).

In addition, they tend to have attractive and accessible

alternatives to the current relationship (Simpson, 1987) and lack a

social network that might serve to bolster their relationships

(Felmlee, Sprecher, & Bassin, 1990). Several stable,

nonrelationship-specific traits have also been shown to increase

the odds of breakup, such as being higher in neuroticism (Kelly &

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001, Vol. 80, No. 5, 754-765

754

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