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Implicit theories of relationships and close relationship violence: does believing your relationship can grow relate to lower perpetration of violence?

Author
Abstract
:

People differ in what they think makes for a successful relationship, but it is unclear how these beliefs relate to the perpetration of violence. Four studies (N = 2,591) examined the relationship between growth beliefs and the perpetration of violence in close relationships. Specifically, the current work tested the hypothesis that growth beliefs mitigate against close relationship violence, possibly due to increased satisfaction with sacrificing one's own self-interest for the betterment of the relationship. Studies 1 and 2 provided cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence that growth beliefs predicted less perpetration of close relationship violence. Studies 3 and 4 showed that the relationship between growth beliefs and lower perpetration of violence was mediated by satisfaction with sacrifice within one's relationship. All effects of growth beliefs remained significant after controlling for destiny beliefs. Discussion centers on the importance of implicit theories of relationships for understanding the perpetration of violence in close relationships.

Year of Publication
:
2013
Journal
:
Personality & social psychology bulletin
Volume
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39
Issue
:
3
Number of Pages
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279-90
ISSN Number
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0146-1672
URL
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https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167212473159?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed
DOI
:
10.1177/0146167212473159
Short Title
:
Pers Soc Psychol Bull
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