The complementarity of behavioral styles among female same-gender romantic couples

Abstract

This study extended previous research on complementarity through the examination of female same-gender romantic dyads. One-hundred and forty-four women (72 couples) completed interpersonal circumplex ratings of their romantic partner and a relationship measure of love and harmony. Results indicated that high levels of relationship quality were reported by participants who were warm and submissive or who had partners who possessed these characteristics. Additionally, members of female same-gender couples tended to complement each other in terms of dominance but not warmth. However, consistent with past research stressing the unique importance female same-gender couples tend to prescribe to relationship equality, dyads that contained members who were equivalent in terms of dominance tended to experience high levels of relationship quality. Copyright © 2012 IARR.