Basic Cognitive Functions and Problem Solving in Close Relationships

Over the course of long-term romantic relationships, couples inevitably encounter problems that threaten the quality and stability of their relationships. For example, couples routinely experience conflicts arising from competing interests or goals, such as disagreements about how to discipline children. External challenges, such as illness or loss of employment, are also common. If not effectively resolved, such relationship problems tend to erode relationship quality, ultimately harming partners' mental and physical well-being. Although considerable research has addressed the factors that motivate people to solve their relationship problems, little research has identified factors that determine people's ability to do so. This project therefore investigates the effects of several important cognitive functions (e.g., memory retrieval, attentional focus, reasoning) on people's ability to solve problems in their romantic relationships. This project tests whether certain cognitive functions facilitate successful problem resolution. It considers how those cognitive functions might lead people to (a) generate more effective solutions, (b) better understand their partner's perspectives about the problem, (c) recall more information about the problem, and (d) enact behaviors that reduce the severity of the problem. The project also examines whether partners' behavior toward one another affects how these cognitive functions contribute to problem resolution. One example is asking whether providing reminders to a distracted partner helps them to remember to enact agreed upon solutions. These hypotheses are tested within a longitudinal study of community couples that objectively assesses cognitive functions, observes participants while attempting to solve relationship problems, and tracks changes in the severity of those problems over several months. This research informs practitioners and educational programs about how to address relationship problems among diverse clients. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.