Expectancy Confirmation in Appraisals of Marital Interactions

Abstract

How do spouses evaluate their interactions with each other? Although spouses’ appraisals of their interactions with their partners influence relationship outcomes, it is not clear how such appraisals are formed. The current study examined the role of expectancy confirmation processes in evaluations of relationship interactions. A sample of 82 newlywed couples engaged in two videotaped problem-solving interactions and reported their marital satisfaction, expectations prior to each interaction, and appraisals after each interaction. Structural equation modeling revealed that (a) spouses’ prior expectations directly affected appraisals of their interactions and completely mediated the indirect effects of marital satisfaction and (b) behavior did not mediate the association between expectations and appraisals but instead influenced appraisals independently. Results suggest that partners’ behaviors may be a pathway through which initially positive beliefs about close relationships can deteriorate, despite expectancy confirmation processes that operate to maintain them.

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