Have you ever made a sarcastic comment to a partner? It’s not actually helpful in terms of bringing about a desired change and, in fact, it undermines relationship quality. Why, then, do people continue to use indirect opposition when confronting their partners? Dr. Levi Baker and colleagues endeavored to find out in a new publication in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Dr. Baker, who directs the Close Relationships Lab, conducted five studies showing that people are more likely to use indirect oppositional behaviors like passive aggressiveness when they are motivated to get more information about a partner’s commitment.
Congrats on this new publication!
