Couples' shared participation in novel and arousing activities and experienced relationship quality.

TLDR

The study investigates whether shared participation in novel and arousing activities enhances experienced relationship quality. The authors employed a mixed‑methods approach, combining a newspaper questionnaire, a door‑to‑door survey, and three laboratory experiments to test this effect. Across surveys and experiments, participants reported higher relationship satisfaction after engaging in novel‑arousing activities, with the effect mediated by reduced boredom and persisting after controlling for social desirability, suggesting boredom and excitement play a role in the early decline of relationship quality.

Abstract

Using a newspaper questionnaire, a door-to-door survey, and 3 laboratory experiments, the authors examined a proposed effect of shared participation in novel and arousing activities on experienced relationship quality. The questionnaire and survey studies found predicted correlations of reported shared exciting activities and relationship satisfaction plus their predicted mediation by relationship boredom. In all 3 experiments, the authors found predicted greater increases in experienced relationship quality from before to after participating together in a 7-min novel and arousing (vs. a more mundane) task. Comparison with a no-activity control showed the effect was due to the novel-arousing task. The same effect was found on ratings of videotaped discussions before and after the experimental task. Finally, all results remained after controlling for relationship social desirability. Results bear on general issues of boredom and excitement in relationships and the role of such processes in understanding the typical early decline of relationship quality after the honeymoon period.