1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The purpose of the present series of studies was to further examine relational benefits associated with harmonious and obsessive romantic passion in order to further establish the pertinence of distinguishing these two types of passion. Specifically, Study 1 aimed at examining how the two types of passion related to evaluative components of relationship quality (e.g., satisfaction, commitment, trust, etc.). Study 2 further explored the role of passion in relationship quality from a dyadic perspective, where the two types of passion of both partners were used to predict components of relationship quality. In addition, we also tested whether the matching of passion type within a couple (i.e., where one or both partners had a harmonious or obsessive passion) was adaptive. Finally, using a prospective design, Study 3 examined whether the two types of passion could predict which individuals would still be involved in the same romantic relationship 3 months later.» (p. 109)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«In line with previous research on passion toward an activity that supported the individual as well as relational advantages associated with harmonious passion, we expected that harmonious romantic passion would more strongly predict the evaluative components than obsessive passion.» (p. 109)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
In study one, «[u]ndergraduate students (n = 176; 136 women, 37 men; 3 not specified) in an ongoing romantic relationship were recruited in class and given a questionnaire to assess harmonious and obsessive passion and dimensions of relationship quality.» (p. 109) In study two, «[p]articipants were 116 heterosexual couples engaged in an ongoing relationship. They were recruited from colleges in the Montreal area.» (p. 11) In study three, «[p]articipants were 143 Canadians (120 women, 23 men) in an ongoing romantic relationship.» (p. 115)

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«As the results of Study 1 revealed, harmonious passion was positively and strongly associated with various dimensions of relationship quality, whereas obsessive passion was positively associated with commitment and feelings of love, unrelated to satisfaction, intimacy, and sexual passion, and negatively associated with trusting one’s partner. […] In addition, the results revealed that one’s passion can also affect partner’s outcomes. Specifically, men’s harmonious passion significantly and positively predicted women’s satisfaction, intimacy, and sexual passion, over and beyond women’s own passions. Interestingly, women’s sexual passion also decreased with men’s obsessive passion, such that the more obsessive men reported being toward their partner, the less sexually passionate women reported the relationship to be. For men, only the satisfaction dimension was significantly and positively predicted by women’s harmonious passion, over and beyond the contribution of their own passion. […] Finally, using a prospective design, Study 3 revealed that relationship stability over a 3-month period was predicted by high harmonious passion and low obsessive passion.» (p. 116)