Self‐esteem and caregiving in romantic relationships: Self‐ and partner perceptions

Self‐esteem may be associated with romantic partners' experience of emotional support and caregiving. Using a sample of 6,385 heterosexual couples in committed relationships gathered from the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE) data set (see www.relate‐institute.org ), structural equation modeling was used to compare two actor–partner interdependence models examining the associations between both partners' self‐esteem and perceptions of partner caregiving responsiveness (i.e., accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement). Male and female self‐esteem was significantly related to partners' caregiving responsiveness while controlling for family‐of‐origin attachment experiences and relationship stability. Female self‐esteem was also significantly associated with females' caregiving responsiveness. These findings yield important implications, demonstrating that higher self‐esteem may be associated with improved caregiving behaviors between romantic partners. Relevant implications and future research directions are discussed.     

Differential Superior-Subordinate Relations,Perceptions of Fairness,and Coworker Communication

This study examines the complex relationships between differential superior-subordinate relations, fairness perceptions, and coworker communication. Data gathered from employees in a variety of organizations indicate that differential treatment from a supervisor to his or her subordinates influences coworker communication by (a) leading coworkers to talk about the differential treatment itself, and (b) influencing the nature of the communication relationships among the coworkers. Data also provide insight into issues of perceived organizational fairness, indicating that fairness perceptions are often socially constructed by work group members through discourse.