A study utilizing a questionnaire format was undertaken to compare married, cohabiting and dating individuals on four variables: equity (overbenefitted, equitably treated, underbenefitted), optimism for continuance of the relationship into the future, relationship satisfaction and time with partner. It was proposed that cohabiting individuals would indicate more inequity in their relationships, with male cohabitors more likely to indicate that they were overbenefitted in their relationships than female cohabitors and all married and dating subjects. In addition, it was hypothesized that cohabitors would be less optimistic about their relationships' future, less satisfied with their relationships, and have relationships of shorter durations than married and dating individuals. / No differences for the equity classifications and optimism for the relationship's continuance among the three relationship types (married, cohabiting, dating) were confirmed, and male cohabitors were not found to be more likely to indicate that they were underbenefitted than other respondents. Most respondents in the three relationship types indicated that they were equitably treated and optimistic about their relationships' future. However, dating individuals were found to be slightly less satisfied with their relationships than married and cohabiting individuals, but the subjects in all three relationship types were, on the whole, satisfied with their relationships. Finally, married individuals had been with their partners for greater amounts of time than both cohabiting and dating individuals. / Females were found to be more likely to indicate that they were underbenefitted than males. Underbenefitted individuals indicated that they were less satisfied with their relationships than overbenefitted and equitably treated individuals, with married and cohabiting subjects especially likely to exhibit this tendency. Equity had no effect on the relationship satisfaction of daters. / Long term married respondents were less satisfied with their partners than other married individuals. Underbenefitted marrieds were less satisfied with their relationships and less optimistic about their relationships' future than equitably treated and overbenefitted marrieds. / No single relationship type was found to be more likely to terminate their relationships, and relationship type and equity had no effect on the couples' follow-up assessments of their relationships. Neither cohabitors or daters were more likely to become engaged or get married. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: B, page: 2604. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74550 |
| Contributors | SALCE, JOELLEN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 146 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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