Implicit theories of relationships: orientations toward evaluation and cultivation.

Full Abstract

Implicit theories of relationships (ITRs) influence goals, motivations, attributions, and behavior in romantic relationships. We developed a model of ITRs that draws from social cognition, motivation, and achievement literatures, and derived conceptual parallels and hypotheses with regard to relationships. It is proposed that ITRs reflect the belief component of a larger system of motivations and goals that can influence the degree to which people are oriented toward the evaluation and cultivation of relationships. Research on ITRs is reviewed with regard to how they moderate well-documented associations between relationship perceptions and outcomes. Differences between ITRs and implicit theories in other domains are also discussed.

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Author information

Author/s: Knee, C Raymond (CR); Patrick, Heather (H); Lonsbary, Cynthia (C);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Houston, TX 77204, USA. knee(-atsign-)uh.edu

Grants: 1R03MH61805 (Agency:United States NIMH)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc (Pers Soc Psychol Rev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-; vol 7 (issue 1) : pp 41-55

Dates: Created 2003/02/13; Completed 2003/04/03; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12584056, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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