10.1177/0146167203262853PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETINKnee et al. / IMPLICIT THEORIES OF RELATIONSHIPS Implicit Theories of Relationships: Moderators of the Link Between Conflict and Commitment

In two studies, implicit theories of relationships were examined as moderators of the association between experienced conflict and commitment. Study 1 involved 128 individuals in hetero-sexual romantic relationships and employed an event-contingent diary procedure in which disagreements were recorded throughout a 10-day period. Study 2 was conducted in the laboratory and involved 75 heterosexual couples who dis-cussed problems in their relationship, with commitment mea-sured before and after discussion. Multilevel random coefficient models revealed that conflict was generally associated with lower commitment but less so with growth belief. Also, growth belief was most beneficial under negative relationship conditions, such as when one possessed a less favorable view of the partner to begin with and when the issue remained unresolved after discussion