Associations between language style matching and relationship commitment and satisfaction: An integrative data analysis

Author:

Bierstetel Sabrina J.1ORCID,Farrell Allison K.2ORCID,Briskin Julia L.1,Harvey Michael W.3,Gable Shelly L.4,Ha Thao5,Ickes William6,Lin Wei-Fang7,Orina Minda M.8,Saxbe Darby9,Simpson Jeffry A.10,Ta Vivian P.11,Slatcher Richard B.3

Affiliation:

1. Wayne State University, USA

2. Miami University, USA

3. University of Georgia, USA

4. University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

5. Arizona State University, USA

6. University of Texas at Arlington, USA

7. Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan

8. Capella University, USA

9. University of Southern California, USA

10. University of Minnesota, USA

11. Lake Forest College, USA

Abstract

Language style matching (LSM) refers to similarity in function word use between two people during a conversation. Previous research has shown that LSM predicts romantic relationship stability, but it remains unknown why LSM is associated with stability. Across five studies from five different labs, we aimed to identify links between LSM and two relationship perceptions strongly associated with stability: commitment and satisfaction. Based on prior work, we hypothesized that LSM would be associated with commitment but not satisfaction. This hypothesis was supported in Study 1 ( N = 82) but was not supported in Study 2 ( N = 158). Preregistered analyses of three additional data sets ( N = 198, 190, 138) were then conducted to attempt to replicate the effect between commitment and LSM. The predicted associations between LSM and commitment/satisfaction, measured concurrently and longitudinally, were not observed in Studies 3–5. Moreover, a meta-analysis across all 766 individuals ( N = 383 couples) revealed that although the association between LSM and satisfaction was marginal ( M r = .10, Z = 1.92, p = .05, confidence interval (CI) = −.002, .203), there was no link between LSM and commitment ( M r = .05, Z = 0.97, p = .33, CI = −.052, .154). Across conflict discussions (i.e., in Studies 1 and 3–5), there were no associations between conflict LSM and satisfaction ( M r = .09, Z = 1.49, p = .14, CI = −.028, .203) or commitment ( M r = .03, Z = 0.50, p = .62, CI = −.087, .145). These findings suggest that if true associations between LSM and commitment and satisfaction exist, they are very small effects. They also emphasize the importance of replicating one’s own findings and illustrate a fruitful approach to replicating findings from high-investment studies through collaborating with researchers with similar data sets to increase statistical power and, in turn, reproducibility.

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Subject

Sociology and Political Science,Developmental and Educational Psychology,Communication,Social Psychology

Cited by 4 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3