Cognitive interdependence: Commitment and the mental representation of close relationships.

Abstract

On the basis of an interdependence analysis, it is proposed that commitment to a close relationship is associated with cognitive interdependence-a mental state characterized by a pluralistic, collective representation of the self-in-relationship.A cross-sectional survey study and a 2-wave longitudinal study revealed that strong commitment to a romantic relationship is associated with greater spontaneous plural pronoun usage, greater perceived unity of self and partner, and greater reported relationship centrality.Commitment and cognitive interdependence operate in a cycle of mutual influence, such that earlier commitment predicts change over time in cognitive interdependence, and earlier cognitive interdependence predicts change over time in commitment.Links between commitment and cognitive interdependence were weak or nonsignificant for relationships among best friends, suggesting that this phenomenon may be unique to romantic relationships.Involvement in a close relationship can change individuals in fundamental ways.For example, close involvement can produce changes in everyday activity preferences, arising from attempts to coordinate activities with those of a significant other (cf.Berscheid, Snyder, & Omoto, 1989;Van Lange et al., 1997).Close involvement can also change the ways in which we communicate; for instance, increasing commitment is associated with enhanced tendencies to accommodate, or to diminish negative reciprocity during the course of interaction (cf.Gottman, 1979;Rusbult, Verette, Whitney, Slovik, & Lipkus, 1991).Does close involvement modify mental representations of the self or change the manner in which we think about ourselves in relation to our partners?The present work asserts that increasing relationship commitment is accompanied by a restructuring of selfin-relationship mental representations, including tendencies to perceive ourselves less as individuals and more as part of a