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Successful Marriage as a Function of

Effective Communication, Effectual

Conflict Resolution, and Interpersonal

Commitment

Rebecca Ellis

Argosy University

August 11, 2010

Abstract

Successful Marriage as a Function of

Effective Communication, Effectual Conflict

Resolution, and Interpersonal Commitment

Communication Strength: Weakness:

The mean

length of

marriage for the

sample

participants in

this study was

eight years; this

factor indicates

a strength of

this study

because the

communication

habits that were

studied were

effective in

sustaining

marriage

relationships for

a significant

length of time.

A potential

weakness of

this study lies in

the exclusive

self-report

methodology

utilized.

In “Self-Disclosure and Marital

Satisfaction”, Hendrick (1981)

studied communication with a focus

on self-disclosure in particular. This

study “found a consistent positive

relationship between self-disclosure

and marital satisfaction”

(Hendrick, 1981, p. 1150). The

author also discovered that level of

self-disclosure is a strong predictor

of marital satisfaction and that

attitude similarity is positively

correlated with marital satisfaction.

Hendrick also discussed the

important issue of reciprocity of self-

disclosure.

Communication

Strength: Weakness:

Diversity of

participants.

The difficulty in

obtaining

comparable

educational and

income levels

across cross-

cultural

samples, which

calls into

question the

influence of

other cultural

factors .

Conflict Resolution

Strength: Weakness:

This study has

several

strengths,

mainly involving

the specific

conceptualizatio

n of forgiveness

and the focus on

the specific

implications of

forgiveness in

conflict

resolution.

The drawback to

this source is its

significant lack

of diversity in its

sample

participants.

Conflict

Resolution Strength: Weakness:

The strengths

of this resource

revolve around

the fact that it

builds off of the

authors’ 2004

research

regarding

conflict

resolution and

forgiveness and

adds the aspect

of a longitudinal

study.

The drawback

to this piece, as

was the case

with the

authors’

previous

research, is the

lack of

participant

diversity.

Building on the research described above and adding the aspect of a longitudinal study, Fincham, Beach, and Davila again collaborated in 2007 to author “Longitudinal Relations Between Forgiveness and Conflict Resolution in Marriage”. In this study, the authors stated that forgiveness is an essential component of conflict resolution. They also state, “conflict resolution is integral to a successful relationship”, and that resentment “may fuel couple conflict and impede successful conflict resolution. In contrast, forgiving the partner for the transgression is a potential means of providing closure with regard to a painful or disturbing relationship event and reducing the extent to which that event can intrude upon future interactions” (Fincham, Beach, & Davila, 2007, p. 542). This article points out the importance of conflict resolution to the survival of a marriage relationship, and the necessity of forgiveness as an integral component of conflict resolution as evidenced by a longitudinal study.

Conflict Resolution

Strength: Weakness:

The strength of

this resource

lies in the

methodology,

which includes

self-reports,

observations

made by

spouse, and

researcher

observations of

negative

behavior and

conflict

resolution.

The weakness

of this resource

involves its lack

of sample

participant

information. No

mention of

sampling

method was

made, nor were

participant

demographics

provided.

Commitment

Strength: Weakness:

Six studies

were employed

with extensive

participants.

The report

gives a

significant

amount of

detail, and the

questionnaire

utilized in the

study is

included in the

report.

No significant

weaknesses

were identified

in this source.

This was a very

useful, well-

designed

article.

In “The Conceptualization of

Marital Commitment: An

Integrative Analysis”, Adams

and Jones (1997) conceptualize

marital commitment. This article

integrates previous literature in

order to discern convergent

themes regarding what

relational commitment is and

how it operates to stabilize

intimate relationships. The

authors distinguished between

personal commitment, moral

commitment, and structural

commitment with explanations

of each.

Commitment

Strength: Weakness:

The author uses

life history

interview

methodology to

examine

orientations

toward marital

commitment and

provides a

significant level

of detail in the

report.

The author

utilized all self-

report

measures.

Commitment

Strength: Weakness:

This article

includes the

research

questionnaire

utilized in the

study, which

allows for exact

replication and

offers ideas for

conceptualizing

research

concepts.

This article

presents

multiple

hypotheses,

which makes it a

bit difficult to

follow.

Commitment

Strength: Weakness:

Survey methods

were utilized

along with lab

sessions where

participant’s

physiological

responses to

presented

photos of

attractive

individuals were

recorded.

Asignificant lack

of diversity in

that all

participants

were

psychology

students.

Communication, Conflict

Resolution, & Commitment

Strength: Weakness:

The article

includes

significant detail

and the

participants

were diverse.

None noted.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, given that effective communication,

effectual conflict resolution, and a strong

interpersonal commitment were indicated in this

literature review as being the prevailing arguments

for the vital concepts that lead to marital satisfaction

(at least in American marriage relationships), it

would appear warranted to further study these three

concepts in order to understand and utilize them in

an effort to achieve marital satisfaction in American

marriages. The role of self-disclosure in effective

communication, the role of forgiveness and

effective behavior during conflict resolution, and the

types of commitment and ways to foster

commitment in a marriage relationship all warrant

further examination and research.

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Research Question

Therefore, the obvious questions to ask are: What makes communication effective? What is effective conflict resolution and how do I utilize it? And, how do I improve my level of commitment? These three questions can be condensed into one research question: What does effective communication, effectual conflict resolution, and interpersonal commitment entail, and how can I utilize these concepts to achieve marital satisfaction?

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Further Research

This research question is important in the effort to

address the social problem of the prominence of divorce. It is

apparent that some type of intervention is warranted in order to

aid couples that are experiencing low marital satisfaction and

who are currently considering divorce. Teaching these concepts

and the ways to utilize them to premarital counseling couples

could also potentially reduce typical marital problems and

increase the likelihood of achieving marital satisfaction. This

research question is also relevant to the current work being

done on achieving marital satisfaction as it delves deeper into

concepts that have already been identified as being vital to a

successful marriage. A more thorough understanding of each of

the concepts, along with suggestions on how to implement

positive strategies that utilize effective communication, effectual

conflict resolution, and strong interpersonal commitment

appear to be warranted in an effort to reduce the current

divorce rate in America.

References

S Adams, J., & Jones, W.H. (1997). The conceptualization of marital commitment: An integrative analysis. Journal of

Personality and Social Psychology, 72(5), 1177-1196. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s

PsychARTICLES database

S Argosy University. (2010). PSY492: The process of research: Module One. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from

http://myeclassonline.com

S Byrd, S.E. (2009). The social construction of marital commitment. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(2), 318-336.

Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s ProQuest database

S Carroll, J.S., & Doherty, W.J. (2003). Evaluating the effectiveness of premarital prevention programs: A meta-

analytic review of outcome research. Family Relations, 52(2), 105-118. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy

University’s SocINDEX database

S Fincham, F. D., Beach, S. R. H., & Davila, J. (2004). Forgiveness and conflict resolution in marriage. Journal of

Family Psychology, 18(1), 72-81. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s PsychARTICLES database

S Fincham, F. D., Beach, S. R., & Davila, J. (2007). Longitudinal relations between forgiveness and conflict resolution

in marriage. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(3), 542-545. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s

PsychARTICLES database

S Hendrick, S. S. (1981). Self-disclosure and marital satisfaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,

40(6), 1150-1159. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s PsychARTICLES database

References

S Johnson, M.P., Caughlin, J.P., & Huston, T.L. (1999). The tripartite nature of marital commitment: Personal, moral, and structural reasons to stay married. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61(1), 160-177. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s ProQuest database

S Miller, R. S. (1997). Inattentive and contented: Relationship commitment and attention to alternatives. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(4), 758-766. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s PsychARTICLES database

S McNulty, J. K. (2008). Forgiveness in marriage: Putting the benefits into context. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(1), 171-175. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s PsychARTICLES database

S Rehman, U.S., & Holtzworth-Munroe, A. (2007). A cross-cultural examination of the relation of marital communication behavior to marital satisfaction. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(4), 759-763. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s PsychARTICLES database

S Stanley, S.M., Markman, H.J., & Whitton, S.W. (2002). Communication, conflict, and commitment: Insights on the foundations of relationship success from a national survey. Family Process, 41(4), 659-675. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Argosy University’s ProQuest database