Examined factors in the decisions of 98 battered women to leave or remain in an abusive relationship. Results showed that both economic dependence and psychological commitment were significantly, and independently, related to the decision, and results held for both objective and subjective measures. (JAC)

Compared reasons given by divorced men and women (N=335) for the failure of their marriages. Structural and demographic variables, including sex, socioeconomic status, religion, age at marriage, parental approval, duration, number of children, and premarital acquaintance were mentioned. Results suggested that different types of marriage breakdown…

Examined the attributions made about males and females who have children, remain childless by choice, or who are involuntarily childless. Multidimensional scaling of the similarity judgments revealed two dimensions: the first related to likability, being loving, devoted, and emotionally mature; the other differentiated among fertility-status…

Explored whether and to what degree differences between actor and observer were likely to occur in the mutual attributions of 40 married couples regarding the causes of each other's behavior. Results revealed that married couples exhibited mutual idealizing tendencies in both their perceptions and causal attributions. (Author/ABB)

Investigated interrelationships between perceived causes of divorce in a sample of 275 males and 336 females. Seven dimensions of divorce, underlying 18 possible contributing causes, were revealed. Significant differences were found between the sexes both in frequencies with which causes were identified and in composition of the seven factors.…

Attributional bias (unrealistic optimism and responsibility) was examined in relationship to conflict among married and divorced individuals. Individuals perceived themselves as better than average and as more responsible than their partners for marital problems. Optimism bias was lower among divorced individuals and those with a higher level of…

Uses a Granger-Sims statistical causality test applied to survey and social security data from 1955 to 1980 to examine the attractiveness of welfare as an inducement for Black women to stay single. Refutes this economic motivation theory and suggests a decline in available Black males as a determinant. (JAC)

Assessed marital change following childbirth in a longitudinal study of 72 couples. Analysis indicated the transition to parenthood resulted in somewhat unfavorable changes, but spouses scoring high on marital functioning tended to do so with their new parent role as well. (JAC)

Presents a causal explanation predicting kinship ties involving division of labor and the usefulness of kin. Data on white households in the Public Use Sample of the 1900 U.S. Census confirmed that wife's parents would be more common in nonfarm households, while husband's parents would predominate in farm households. (JAC)

Discusses legal divorce in Poland. Several changes in family law have been introduced to protect the welfare of children. Yet, because of the difficult conditions of everyday life in Poland, the effects of divorce often prove a burden for the divorced person with children and for the extended family. (JAC)

Conducted two studies to investigate marital satisfaction and egocentric bias in spouses' perceived contributions to activities in marriage. Results from 40 spouses indicated that spouses claimed to make greater contributions to negative relationships events than their partners attributed to them. Results from 50 spouses replicated findings.…

Examined the linkage between psychological well-being and marital status in 2,500 men. Results indicated little difference in psychological well-being before or after divorce/separation, suggesting that the relationship between marital status and well-being is not necessarily causal. (JAC)

Assessed degree of placing blame on self and on partner for violence in women (N=70) who had experiences marital violence. Found characterological self-blame was shown to be most highly associated with repeated physical or sexual abuse in childhood, lack of social support, and high rate of depression once out of the relationship. (Author/ABL)

Supported the hypotheses that blaming one's spouse for marital problems is negatively associated with marital satisfaction and perceived personal control over conflicts is positively associated with marital satisfaction. The wife's satisfaction was found to be related to her perception of both husband's and wife's contributions. (Author)

Examined effects of parental behaviors and accuracy of perception of parents' socialization goals on value transmission between parents and children in 82 families. Found strongest predictor of parent-child value congruence to be accuracy of children's perceptions of parents' socialization values. Attributions of values between parents and…