Marriage as a training ground: Examining change in self-control and forgiveness over the first 4 years of marriage

Tila M Pronk; Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik; Marina M A H Iliás; Catrin Finkenauer

doi:10.1177/0265407517721065

Marriage as a training ground: Examining change in self-control and forgiveness over the first 4 years of marriage

J Soc Pers Relat. 2019 Jan;36(1):109-130. doi: 10.1177/0265407517721065. Epub 2017 Jul 24.

Authors

Tila M Pronk¹, Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik², Marina M A H Iliás³, Catrin Finkenauer⁴

Affiliations

¹ Tilburg University, The Netherlands.
² Sabanci University, Turkey.
³ VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Do partners' levels of self-control and forgiveness change over the course of marriage? Based on the idea that marriage may function as a training ground for these vital relationship abilities, we hypothesized that people increase their levels of self-control and forgiveness over time and that these developments take place simultaneously. We tested these predictions among 199 newlywed couples in the first 4 years of marriage, using a dyadic latent growth curves analysis. Confirming our hypotheses, results showed significant increases in self-control and forgiveness as well as a positive concurrent correlation between these variables. However, the developments of self-control and forgiveness were unrelated. So, while people become more self-controlled and forgiving over the course of a marriage, these developments do not coincide.

Keywords: Forgiveness; marriage; romantic relationships; self-control.