Where Do We Go from Here? Navigating Goals in a Romantic Relationship

Receiving support from a romantic partner in times of need can foster people's ability to cope with a stressor, encourage people to reach their goals, and improve relationship quality. However, there may be instances in a romantic relationship where providing support that meets the recipients unique needs can be challenging, especially if it poses a conflict to the needs of the relationship. An experimental study will be conducted to assess if the perceived achievability of a conflicting goal may influence ones willingness to support their romantic partner and assess if this influences their supportive behaviours. Participants will complete a measure of their self-esteem and support efficacy prior to being randomly assigned to one of two conditions where they will be presented with one of two hypothetical scenarios, depicting a romantic partner who may need to attend school in a different country for a highly competitive program. Those in the low achievability condition will be read that their partner applied for the program, but is unsure if they will be accepted. In contrast, those in the high achievability condition will read that their partner applied, and was accepted to the program. Participants will then be asked about their willingness to provide support to their romantic partner in the face of this conflicting goal and supportive behaviours they may be likely to engage in, ranging in effort. This research will fill an important gap in the literature by further exploring and disentangling the instances in which an individual may be less likely to support their romantic partner's goals.