Loneliness in Partner Relationships: A Dyadic Examination of Short- and Long-Term Dynamics

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Marcus Mund
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 424470289

Loneliness occurs when individuals perceive a discrepancy between individual's aspired and their actually experienced amount of closeness and intimacy in social relationship. Partner relationships have consistently been shown to be the single most powerful protective factor against loneliness. At the same time, partner relationships also have been found to increase loneliness when the relationship is perceived as unsatisfying or of otherwise low quality. The current research project is dedicated to investigate the circumstances and mechanisms leading to the rise and perpetuation of loneliness in partner relationships and extends prior research in three major ways by (1) investigating reciprocal influences between loneliness and relationship quality, (2) investigating the intra- and interpersonal processes underlying these reciprocal influences, and (3) employing a sample involving both members of recently formed couples. Over the course of three years, both couple members will be surveyed at eleven measurement occasions each three months apartregarding several aspects of their personality, their perceived relationship quality, as well as their perception of the partner. Furthermore, the project implements three diary phases, focusing on disentangling affective, cognitive, and behavioral processes. Each diary phase consists of two end-of-day diary episodes, of which each extends over 14 days. Through this design, the research project contributes new insights into the macro- and micro-dynamics between loneliness and relationship quality over the course of partner relationships. Furthermore, the project sheds light on both the intra- and interpersonal processes underlying these dynamics. These insights are crucial to understand the antecedents, manifestations, and consequences of loneliness.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria