When exchanging benefits based on concern for the welfare of others undermines personal and relationship well-being: Examining mediating and moderating factors.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10010:Social psychology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Woman's Christian University
• Principal Investigator: Miyazaki Genta 東京女子大学, 現代教養学部, 講師 (80636176)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 共同的動機 / 交換的動機 / 関係相手の応答性知覚 / 主観的幸福感 / 関係満足度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study examined the possibility that communal motivation, which motivate individuals to exchange benefits based on concern for the welfare of others, may negatively affect the well-being of the individual and his or her partner in intimate relationships, and that exchange motivation, which is based on the norm of reciprocity, may enhance their well-being. During the three-year research period, four survey studies were conducted with individuals in romantic relationships and married couples. The results showed that the well-being promoting effects of communal motivation often disappeared when individuals perceived their partner responsiveness was low. It was also suggested that flexible adjustment of exchange motives according to perceived partner responsiveness contributed to the enhancement of one’s well-being.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの社会心理学の研究では、親密な人間関係では共同的動機に基づく恩恵のやり取りが理想であり、主観的幸福感と関係の良好さを高めるとされてきた。それに対して本研究は、パートナーの応答性を期待しにくい親密関係では、理想の追求が個人と関係の幸福に良い影響をもたらしにくいこと、また、親密関係の理想とされていない交換的動機を状況に応じて増減させることが個人と関係の幸福に寄与することを示した点で学術的意義がある。さらに、家事を行う動機が本人とパートナーに及ぼす影響とその調整要因を実証的に明らかにしたことは、日常生活の中で幸福を維持・増進するための方法の提案につながる社会的意義のある知見と考えられる。