Abstract
Purpose - The current study examined differences in the conflict management strategies, relational satisfaction, and social support of individuals in same-race and interracial relationships. Additionally, we examined associations between self-reported and observed measures of conflict management strategies.Design/methodology/approach - The current study used Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bioecological theory as an organizing framework. Twenty individuals in interracial and same-race relationships were recruited from a large Northeastern US university. Self-report and observational measures of conflict management strategies were obtained, as were individuals’ self-reported levels of relational satisfaction and social support.Findings - Results indicated a few differences in conflict management strategies between individuals in same-race and interracial dyads, and no differences in social support or satisfaction. Observational measures of conflict management were largely uncorrelated with their corresponding self-report measures.Research limitations/implications - The current sample was small and consisted of students from a predominately White region of the country; thus generalizability and statistical power are limited. However, the results suggest ways interracial and same-race dyads might manage conflict differently, as well as how self-reported and observational methods might differ in terms of the results obtained.Originality/value - Interracial couple relationship processes are largely unexplored but important to study. The current findings further suggest that self-report and observational methods should be combined in order to more fully portray the conflict management strategies of individuals in interracial and same-race relationships.
Purpose - The current study examined differences in the conflict management strategies, relational satisfaction, and social support of individuals in same-race and interracial relationships. Additionally, we examined associations between self-reported and observed measures of conflict management strategies.Design/methodology/approach - The current study used Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bioecological theory as an organizing framework. Twenty individuals in interracial and same-race relationships were recruited from a large Northeastern US university. Self-report and observational measures of conflict management strategies were obtained, as were individuals’ self-reported levels of relational satisfaction and social support.Findings - Results indicated a few differences in conflict management strategies between individuals in same-race and interracial dyads, and no differences in social support or satisfaction. Observational measures of conflict management were largely uncorrelated with their corresponding self-report measures.Research limitations/implications - The current sample was small and consisted of students from a predominately White region of the country; thus generalizability and statistical power are limited. However, the results suggest ways interracial and same-race dyads might manage conflict differently, as well as how self-reported and observational methods might differ in terms of the results obtained.Originality/value - Interracial couple relationship processes are largely unexplored but important to study. The current findings further suggest that self-report and observational methods should be combined in order to more fully portray the conflict management strategies of individuals in interracial and same-race relationships.