Effects Of Type Of Social Control Strategy And Perceived Agent Motivations On Eating And Relational Behaviors In Romantic Relationships Over Time

Abstract

One of the ways in which close relationship partners can affect each other’s health behavior is by enacting social control, in which partners intentionally try to change each other’s behavior by using specific social control strategies. Most research has distinguished between the effects of different strategies on intrapersonal factors, such as individuals’ emotions, motivation, and health behavior, rather than considering the interpersonal context in which social control is embedded. This dissertation research addresses this gap by examining how the strategies that one partner uses to try to improve the other’s eating behavior elicit relational and eating responses over time. Study 1 used an iterative hypothetical scenario to experimentally test whether the effects of different social control strategies (autonomy-supporting versus autonomy-limiting) on relational and eating behavior are moderated by individuals’ perceptions of their partners’ motives for enacting social control (independent versus interdependent). Study 1 results showed that although there were few moderating effects of individuals’ perceptions of their partners’ motives on relational behaviors or healthiness of eating, autonomy-supporting strategies were associated with more constructive relational behaviors after the first use of social control and healthier eating over time. Study 2 used a daily diary approach to obtain descriptive information on the use of social control in relationships and to examine how different strategies elicit different relational and eating behaviors. Study 2 showed that partners enact more social control than previous research has shown and that partners often use both autonomy-supporting and autonomy-limiting social control strategies. Study 2 also showed that on days when individuals perceived that their partner had more interdependent motives, they engaged in more constructive relational behavior and reported healthier perceptions of their eating, but not healthier eating behavior. Additionally, autonomy-supporting social control was associated with more constructive relational behaviors, healthier perceptions of eating and healthier eating behaviors the first time the strategies were used, but not over time. Together, these studies utilize a novel iterative scenario methodology and longitudinal assessments to examine both relational and health responses to social control and show that autonomy-supporting, but not autonomy-limiting social control has implications for relationships and health behavior.