Research Article Accuracy and Biases in Newlyweds ’ Perceptions of Each Other Not Mutually Exclusive but Mutually Beneficial

ABSTRACT—There has been a long-standing debate about whether having accurate self-perceptions or holding pos-itive illusions of self is more adaptive. This debate has re-cently expanded to consider the role of accuracy and bias of partner perceptions in romantic relationships. In the present study, we hypothesized that because accuracy, positivity bias, and similarity bias are likely to serve distinct functions in relationships, they should all make independent contributions to the prediction of marital satisfaction. In a sample of 288 newlywed couples, we tested this hypothesis by simultaneouslymodeling the actor effects and partner effects of accuracy, positivity bias, and similarity bias in predicting husbands ’ and wives’ satisfaction. Findings across several perceptual domains suggest that all three perceptual indices independentl