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Method

Method Description

This study focuses on relational satisfaction among dating and married couples. A survey design will be the research method for this study. A correlational design is appropriate because this study aims to understand how couples perceive their relationship. More precisely, questionnaires will be conducted in responds to the following hypothesis question; overbenefitted and underbenefitted relational partners are less satisfied than people in equitable relationships. This study assumes that perceived equity is positively related to relational satisfaction. The questions pertain to how each partner views the overall relationship. Equity seems to play a vital role in the determining relational satisfaction, therefore it will be examined.

Procedures

Participants. A non-random, convenience and snowball sample of 250 couples (500 individuals total) will be required for this study. A large number of participants will be needed to ensure that the population will be accounted for. Although this study includes people from a large age range, all participants must meet an age requirement of 18 years or older. Also, all participants must have been in a relationship for at least 6 months. Two types of participants will be recruited for this study. Dating couples will be recruited from Arizona State University communication classes. Students will be given extra credit for participating in a two-part study. Encouraging student’s participation by offering extra credit will be the most efficient method of reaching a quota of 250 couples. Part one of the study requires the student and their partner to fill out a questionnaire about their perception and their partner’s perception of the relationship. Part two entails students to have their parents fill out the same questionnaire. In other words, married couples will be recruited by the student participants.

Procedures. Participation is based on a first come first served basis. The first 125 students who sign up will receive extra credit upon completing their participation. Student couples will show up to a designated area on school campus. They will immediately be separated and given identical questionnaires. They will be instructed to complete the questionnaire and any clarification will be addressed by a confederate. Participants will be asked not to discuss their responds with their partners until both complete the questionnaires. This will prevent biased responds form participants. After the couple completes the questionnaire, the student who signed up for the study will be given two confidential envelops for each parent. Parents will be instructed to fill out the survey individually and their children (student) will return the package to an assigned area. The procedure for this study is appropriate because students have the incentive to gain extra credit. Also, reliability and validity will be determined by the instrumentation of study.

Measures/Instrumentation

Participants will complete a series of questions which will be integrated into a larger whole. The perception of the relationship will be measured by the quality of marriage index (QMI). Although the index was designed for assessing marital quality, researchers have successfully employed the index to nonmarital relationships. This index appears to be internally consistent. Baxter (1990), reported a Cronbach alpha of . 95. Couples evaluate the quality their relationship by responding to five items using a Likert scale that ranges from very strongly disagree (1) to very strongly agree (7). Also, a one item scale asks participants to assess the degree of happiness in their relationship ranging from very unhappy (1) to perfectly happy (10). In addition to the quality of marriage index, the measure of equity will be determined by the Hatfield global measure of equity-inequity. This scale has been validated by previous literature reviews; it has a Cronbach alpha of . 95. Participants will be asked, “Considering what you put into your relationship compared to what you get out of it, and what your partner puts into it, compared to what he/she gets out of it, who is getting the better deal?” (Hatfield, 1979). Responses will be based on a nine-point scale with “I much more” at one end, and “He/she much more” at the other.

Limitations and Conclusion

Although this study will gain insight on how couples perceive the relationship, it may contain potential treats to internal and external validity. In particular, the Hawthorne effect might impact the conclusion. Because participants know they are a part of a study, they may answer in a favorable manner and might not respond truthfully. Another threat to internal validity may be selection. Because most of the participants come from an educational background, the results may not be generalized to the population. Moreover, a major concern that comes from external validity must be replication. Since students are encouraged to participate for extra credit, they may not be concerned with the credence of the study, but only their extra credit points. Perhaps future studies will take into account of these threats to internal and external validity. To neutralize the Hawthorne effect, researchers can explicitly ask participant to answer truthfully. Also, to decrease the threat of selection, participants can be obtained by via e-mail and mail. In addition, providing various incentives for subject may encourage their concern for the credence of the study. This study aims to support the hypothesis question, overbenefitted and underbenefitted relational partners are less satisfied than people in equitable relationships. Since relational satisfaction is a crucial element to the success of the relationship, it must be examined. Partners can sustain high levels of satisfaction by equalizing the relationship.

References

Baxter, L.A. (1990). Dialectical contradictions in relationship development. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 7, 69-88.

Hatfield, E. (1979). Equity theory and intimate relationships. Social Exchange in Developing Relationships, 99-133.

Norton, R. (1983). Measuring marital quality: A critical look at the dependent variable. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45, 141-151.