Relative importance of conflict topics for within-couple tests: The case of demand/withdraw interaction.

ABSTRACT: Researchers commonly employ observational methods, in which partners discuss topics of concern to them, to test gender differences and other within-couple differences in couple conflict behavior. We describe a previously unidentified assumption upon which statistical tests in these observational studies are frequently reliant: whether each partner is more concerned or dissatisfied with the topic selected for them than the partner is. We term this the relative importance assumption and show that common procedures for selecting conflict discussion topics can lead to widespread violations of the assumption in empirical studies. Study 1 conducts a systematic review of the literature and finds that few existing studies ensure relative importance is met. Study 2 uses two empirical samples

SUBMITTER: Crenshaw AO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7891293 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature