Repairing relationship conflict: how Violation types and culture influence The effectiveness of restoration Rituals

TLDR

The study proposes a process and causal model of relationship restoration after conflict, building on Goffman's interaction rituals. The authors model restoration as a ritual triggered by violation, distinguishing two violation types that elicit distinct restoration processes and noting that culture shapes these rituals. Effective restoration depends on the interplay between disputants' cultures, violation type, and the restoration mechanism employed.

Abstract

Building on Goffman's (1967) notion of interaction rituals, we propose a process model, a causal model, and several propositions about effective relationship restoration behavior following relationship conflict. We conceptualize relationship restoration as a ritualistic process triggered by a violation. We identify two types of relationship violations and show how they are linked to different restoration processes. We also argue that culture governs restoration rituals for different violations. Therefore, effective relationship restoration results from an interaction of the disputants' cultures, the violation type, and the type of restoration mechanism offered.