LE3 .A278 2014

2014

Holmberg, Diane

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Psychology

Psychology

This study examined perceptions about memory for relationship events, gender differences in memory, and the perceived association between memory for relationship events and relationship well-being. This study also sought to determine if there is a real gender difference in memory for relationship events, and whether a link exists between own and/or partner’s relationship memory and relationship and psychological well-being. Study 1 recruited individuals to answer questions about their perceptions, as well as measure actual relationship constructs, using an online survey. Study 2 used a pre-existing dataset with heterosexual couples. Participants were found to believe that women have better memory for relationship events than do men. They also believed that the association between relationship memory and relationship well-being was stronger for women than for men. Women actually were found to have better relationship memory than men in Study 1, but not in Study 2. Better relationship memory did appear to predict better well-being, but the effect was not consistently moderated by gender. Implications are discussed.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1100