Antecedents and Consequences of Communication about Serial Arguments: A Longitudinal Study of Associations Within and Between Conflict Episodes
Open Access
- Author:
- Vanderbilt, Rachel
- Graduate Program:
- Communication Arts and Sciences
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- October 05, 2020
- Committee Members:
- Denise Haunani Solomon, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Denise Haunani Solomon, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Jon F Nussbaum, Committee Member
Timothy Ryan Worley, Committee Member
Mary Beth Oliver, Outside Member
Lijiang Shen, Committee Member
Denise Haunani Solomon, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- conflict
serial argument
communication
interpersonal communication
arguing
romantic relationships
lifespan communication - Abstract:
- This dissertation examines communication in serial arguments in romantic relationships longitudinally. Prior research on serial arguments has been relatively homogenous in three primary ways: in the topics of inquiry, in the cross-sectional design, and in the use of college aged dating relationships. Given the general homogeneity of this area of research, the primary goal of this dissertation was to explore the validity of previously understood associations in serial arguments outside of a college-aged dating context and at two levels of abstraction (episodic and overtime). There are two categories of hypotheses in this study, within episode relationships and over time relationships. First, I posit within-episode associations between the antecedent conditions of communication valence and communication engagement and the outcomes of relationship quality, rumination, and stress. I also posit the moderation of perceived resolvability and the additional moderation of lifespan on these within episode associations. Finally, I posit reciprocal, overtime associations between the antecedents and outcomes. To examine these hypotheses, 1,047 participants in romantic relationships, varying in relationship length and stage (e.g. dating, married), were surveyed about their serial argument experiences. Participants were prompted to complete three surveys over the course of six weeks. Analyses of these data incorporates hierarchical linear modeling to understand the within episode associations and random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling to understand the overtime associations. The findings of this study provided partial support for the hypotheses. Specifically, there is some support for the moderation of perceived resolvability, particularly on associations including communication valence. When the additional moderation of lifespan was accounted for, the moderation of perceived resolvability was illuminated for associations including communication engagement; This means that people respond differently to decisions to engage or avoid communication as they get older and their relationship progresses. Overtime associations both confirmed within episode understandings of particular associations (i.e. rumination and communication engagement), and also illuminated new associations that were nonsignificant in the within episode analyses (i.e. stress and communication engagement).