Generosity and the Maintenance of Marital Quality
Keywords
generosity, marital quality, relationship maintenance behavior
Abstract
This study examined whether generosity in marriage was associated with marital quality. The authors conceptualized generosity as a type of relationship maintenance behavior and used data from the new Survey of Marital Generosity (a national survey of married couples, N = 1,365 couples and 2,730 total participants). They found that generosity—defined here as small acts of kindness, displays of respect and affection, and a willingness to forgive one's spouse his or her faults and failings—was positively associated with marital satisfaction and negatively associated with marital conflict and perceived divorce likelihood.
Original Publication Citation
Dew, J. P., & Wilcox, W. B. (2013). Generosity and the maintenance of marital quality. Journal of Marriage and Family, 75, 1218–1228.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Dew, Jeffrey P. and Wilcox, W. Bradford, "Generosity and the Maintenance of Marital Quality" (2013). Faculty Publications. 4529.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/4529
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2013-09-03
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/7336
Publisher
Journal of Marriage and Family
Language
English
College
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Department
Family Life
Copyright Use Information
http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/