Self and Relationships
Connecting Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Processes
Edited by Kathleen D. Vohs and Eli J. Finkel
“If the importance of a book can be judged by how many pages are dog-eared, this is a very important book. I found myself excitedly marking almost every other page. I was thrilled by the original, sometimes ingenious, content; sophisticated methodology; and elegant style of all the contributions in what I consider an evolutionary first step and a milestone for social psychology. The contributors represent the very best that social psychology can produce.”
—PsycCRITIQUES
“Each chapter is authored by renowned scholars in the fields of relationships, self, and behavior, and the chapters are brought together into a single volume that gives a detailed overview of much empirical work being conducted on self, self-concept, and relationships, and how these components interact and affect the self....Each chapter can stand alone as a complete work within itself....The chapters complement each other and combine as a whole to create a must-have reference regarding the intersection of self and relationship development. This volume is a great tool for anyone who would like more information regarding an interdisciplinary view of the self and those processes that can affect one's self and relationships.”
—The Family Psychologist
“This volume reflects state-of-the art research on the dynamic interplay between the self and relationships. Lucidly written chapters provide textured and pointed discussions on how self-processes influence interpersonal relationships and vice versa. An admirable feature of the book is that it is tightly edited: chapters are interconnected and foster continuity, with one chapter addressing issues that were raised in another. The volume is well planned, comprehensive, and generative. Importantly, it is perfectly suited for scholars in the field; as a textbook for graduate or undergraduate seminars (on self, relationships, or interpersonal processes); and even as a supplementary social psychology text for undergraduates ready for challenging work.”
—Constantine Sedikides, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, UK
“There has been a surge of interest in the interplay between the self and relationships in our empirical journals, but no comprehensive overview has been available. This timely volume satisfies that important need. It presents an impressive set of chapters examining both the influence of the self on relationship functioning and, even more uniquely, the role of relationships in shaping the self. Further, the broad conceptual definition of the self that the authors adopt gives the volume sufficient scope to be used both as an advanced undergraduate text and as a general reference book.”
—John G. Holmes, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Canada
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Self and Relationships, Eli J. Finkel and Kathleen D. VohsI. Self —> Relationships
Section IA. Self-Regulation
2. The Importance of Self-Regulation for Interpersonal Functioning, Catherine D. Rawn and Kathleen D. Vohs
3. Pursuing Goals and Perceiving Others: A Self-Regulatory Perspective on Interpersonal Relationships, Gráinne Fitzsimons
Section IB. Self-Concept
4. Narcissism, Interpersonal Self-Regulation, and Romantic Relationships: An Agency Model Approach, W. Keith Campbell, Amy B. Brunell, and Eli J. Finkel
5. Contingencies of Self-Worth and Self-Validation Goals: Implications for Close Relationships, Lora E. Park, Jennifer Crocker, and Kathleen D. Vohs
6. The Inner and Outer Turmoil of Excessive Reassurance Seeking: From Self-Doubts to Social Rejection, Kimberley A. Van Orden and Thomas E. Joiner, Jr.
Section IC. Interpersonal Schemas and Orientations
7. An Attachment Theory Perspective on the Interplay between Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Processes, Brooke C. Feeney
8. Implicit Theories of Relationships and Coping in Romantic Relationships, C. Raymond Knee and Amy Canevello
9. Organization of Partner Knowledge: Implications for Liking and Loving, Longevity, and Change, Carolin J. Showers and Alicia Limke
10. From Altruism to Aggression: Understanding Social Interaction, Paul A. M. Van Lange
Part II. Relationships —> Self
Section IIA. Interdependence: Overarching Perspectives
11. A Functional, Evolutionary Analysis of the Impact of Interpersonal Events on Intrapersonal Self-Processes, Mark R. Leary
12. Rejection's Impact on Self-Defeating, Prosocial, Antisocial, and Self-Regulatory Behaviors, Ginette C. Blackhart, Roy F. Baumeister, and Jean M. Twenge
13. Does the Existence of Social Relationships Matter for Subjective Well-Being?, Richard E. Lucas and Portia S. Dyrenforth
14. Cognitive Interdependence: Considering Self-in-Relationship, Christopher R. Agnew and Paul E. Etcheverry
Section IIB. Specific Social Interaction Processes
15. High-Maintenance Interaction and Self-Regulation, Eli J. Finkel, W. Keith Campbell, and Amy B. Brunell
16. The Michelangelo Phenomenon: Partner Affirmation and Self-Movement toward One's Ideal, Madoka Kumashiro, Caryl E. Rusbult, Scott T. Wolf, and Marie-Joelle Estrada
17. The Effect of Shared Participation in Novel and Challenging Activities on Experienced Relationship Quality: Is It Mediated by High Positive Affect?, Greg Strong and Arthur Aron
18. Self-Regulation in Interpersonal Relationships: The Case of Action versus State Orientation, Sander L. Koole, Julius Kuhl, Nils B. Jostmann, and Catrin Finkenauer
Section IIC. Interpersonal Cognitive Processes
19. When Your Wish Is My Desire: A Triangular Model of Self-Regulatory Relationships, James Shah
20. Succeeding at Self-Control through a Focus on Others: The Roles of Social Practice and Accountability in Self-Regulation, Elizabeth A. Seeley and Wendi L. Gardner
About the Editors
Kathleen D. Vohs, PhD, is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She holds a McKnight Presidential Fellowship and is the Board of Overseers Professor of Marketing. Dr. Vohs has more than 120 professional publications, including six books. Her research is concerned with self-regulation, particularly in regard to impulsive spending and eating, decision making, self-esteem, the fear and feeling of being duped, self-escape behaviors, and the psychology of money.Eli J. Finkel, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University. After receiving his PhD in social psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001, Dr. Finkel served for 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University under a grant from the National Institutes of Health. His research has examined the impact of self-processes (e.g., self-concept, self-regulatory dynamics, narcissistic entitlement) on relationships, and of relationship processes (e.g., interpersonal emotion expression, relationship commitment, social coordination) on the self. Dr. Finkel's most recent research focuses on the interplay between self and relationship dynamics in the first minutes, hours, and days of initial romantic attraction.
Contributors
Christopher R. Agnew, PhD, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IndianaArthur Aron, PhD, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
Roy F. Baumeister, PhD, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Ginette C. Blackhart, MS, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Amy B. Brunell, MA, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
W. Keith Campbell, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Amy Canevello, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
Jennifer Crocker, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Portia S. Dyrenforth, BA, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Marie-Joelle Estrada, MA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Paul E. Etcheverry, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Arlington, Texas
Brooke C. Feeney, PhD, Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Eli J. Finkel, PhD, Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Catrin Finkenauer, PhD, Department of Social Psychology, Free University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Gráinne Fitzsimons, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Wendi L. Gardner, PhD, Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Thomas E. Joiner, Jr., PhD, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Niles B. Jostmann, PhD, Department of Social Psychology, Free University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
C. Raymond Knee, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
Sander L. Koole, PhD, Department of Social Psychology, Free University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Julius Kuhl, DrPhil, Department of Psychology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
Madoka Kumashiro, PhD, Department of Social Psychology, Free University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Mark R. Leary, PhD, Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Alicia Limke, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
Richard E. Lucas, PhD, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Lora E. Park, PhD, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
Catherine D. Rawn, MA, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Caryl E. Rusbult, PhD, Department of Social Psychology, Free University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Elizabeth A. Seeley, PhD, Department of Management and Organizations, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, New York
James Shah, PhD, Department of Psychology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Carolin J. Showers, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
Greg Strong, MA, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
Jean M. Twenge, PhD, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Paul A. M. Van Lange, PhD, Department of Social Psychology, Free University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Kimberly A. Van Orden, MS, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Kathleen D. Vohs, PhD, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Scott T. Wolf, MA, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina