Identity Implications of Relationship (Re)Definition Goals: An Analysis of Face Threats and Facework as Young Adults Initiate, Intensify, and Disengage from Romantic Relationships

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Issue Date
2009Author
Kunkel, Adrianne
Wilson, Steven R.
Robson, Scott
Soliz, Jordan
Olufowote, James O.
Publisher
SAGE Publishing
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, author accepted manuscript
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Identity implications theory (IIT) is applied to analyze how young adults manage identity concerns
associated with the goals of initiating, intensifying, and disengaging from romantic relationships.
Participants wrote their responses to one of six hypothetical romantic (re)definition scenarios, indicated
whether they actually would pursue the relational goal if their scenario were real, and rated degree of
threat to both parties' face. Responses were coded for positive and negative politeness strategies.
Participants in different relational goal conditions perceived different face threats, varied in their
likelihood of pursuing the relational goal, and employed different politeness strategies. Relationship
(re)definition goal also moderated associations between perceived face threats and goal pursuit as well
as politeness strategies. The findings show how multiple goal theories such as IIT can be applied to
situations where relational goals are primary as well as how, to varying degrees, identity concerns shape and constrain how young adults pursue relational (re)definition goals.
Description
DOI: 10.1177/0261927X08325746
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Citation
Wilson, S. R., Kunkel, A. D., Robson, S., Olufowote, J. O., & Soliz, J. (2009). Identity implications of relationship (re)definition goals: An analysis of face threats and facework as young adults initiate, intensify, and disengage from romantic relationships. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 28, 32-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0261927X08325746
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