Title:
The effect of different types of lies on perceived romantic relationship quality
Author:
Joshua E. Bock
Thesis Advisor:
Theresa E. DiDonato
Committee Member:
Frank D. Golom
Committee Member:
Rachel L. Grover
Committee Member:
Stephen E. Fowl
Committee Member:
Beth A. Kotchick
Degree Granting Institution:
Loyola University Maryland--College of Arts and Sciences
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Loyola University Maryland
Date Created:
2023
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
born digital
Abstract:
Every child learns in pre-school that one should not lie, and yet people do it every day, including withing romantic relationships. Some research indicates that lying negatively impacts romantic relationships, while other research shows that it is a natural part of caring for others. Mixed study results motivate the need to study the different types of lies told in romantic relationships and their specific impacts on relationship perceptions. The present study posited that imagining discovering well-intentioned (positive) lies would produce higher romantic relationship quality than imagining a partner telling maliciously-intentioned (negative) lies or the truth. A moderating effect was also predicted such that individuals with greater attachment anxiety would perceive higher relationship quality as a result of discovering positive lies and lower relationships quality after discovering negative lie in the hypothetical vignettes than those with more secure attachments. First a pilot study (N = 179) validated the use of hypothetical vignettes which portrayed each of the four lie conditions and the truth condition. Then, in the main study (N = 269) participants read one of the five randomly assigned vignettes and reported their perceptions of their romantic relationship quality and attachment style. Consistent with predictions, discovery of positive lies produced higher perceptions of romantic relationships quality than discovery of negative lies. However, the discovery of positive lies and truth were not different in their reports of perceptions of romantic relationship quality. Finally, no moderating effect was found of anxiety on how different types of lies impacted perceptions of romantic relationship quality. Results suggest that certain types of lies are more acceptable in romantic relationships than others and that it is the intention of the lie teller, rather than lies versus the truth, that dictates the impact of the lie on the lie receiver.
Subject:
Academic theses
Subject:
Electronic dissertations
Subject:
Thèses et écrits académiques
Subject:
Thèses électroniques
Subject:
dissertations
Degree:
Doctor of Clinical Psychology
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Psychology
Restrictions on Access:
Author has given permission to make this work available online.
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Identifier:
BockJE-23
