The chilling effect of aggressive potential on the expression of complaints in intimate relationships

Abstract

This study examined relationships between a partner's aggressive potential and the expression of complaints about that partner's controlling behaviors. A two‐part survey of 160 college students involved in dating relationships solicited information about relational dependence, unexpressed complaints, and a partner's potential for aggression. As expected, anticipating aggressive repercussions was associated with withholding complaints about controlling behaviors (p < .01), but was not correlated with other types of unexpressed grievances. This chilling effect was greater when individuals who generally feared conflict anticipated aggressive repercussions (p < .001), and when people anticipated symbolic aggression from relationally independent partners (p < .05). An individual's own relational dependence also influenced the magnitude of this chilling effect (p < .05). The implications of these findings for the management of relational difficulties and interpersonal aggression are discussed.