Dyadic effects of interpersonal perception on the quality of couple relationships: Idealization and accuracy matter

Abstract

Interpersonal perceptions have an impact on the quality of couple relationships but we want to examine the putative moderating role of gender considering personal meanings as the target of perception. We employed the Couple's Grid to measure interpersonal perception based on personal constructs and the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (pooled regression) to analyze the mutual effects of partners' observations. We explore the dyadic effects of seven variables of interpersonal perception on relationship quality in a sample of 26 Spanish opposite sex couples. Idealization of the partner was associated with one's own and partner's relationship quality (actor and partner effects), while being accurate in the perception of the partner's self-image was positively related to men's relationship quality but negatively related to women's (actor effects). The findings stimulate the existing debate regarding the benefits of being accurate or biased in a relationship and the need to take into account gender differences for guiding therapeutic interventions.