Health-related social control in friendships and romantic relationships

In two independent studies, this project investigated how relationship interdependence influences the use of health-related social control in friendships and romantic relationships. Study 1 showed that romantic partners discuss personal health more often than friends. As anticipated, positive associations between relationship commitment and the social control of preventative medicine and exercise also emerged in Study 1. Study 2 revealed positive actor effects of commitment on the interpersonal regulation of preventative medicine, negative actor effects on diet, and no actor effects on exercise or alcohol use. No between-dyad effects emerged. Additionally, relative to men, women used social control most in long-standing romantic couples. Although many results were unexpected, this project showed how relationship interdependence influences a couple's daily conversations about physical health.