Differentiation of Social Knowledge Structures and Skill in Marital Problem-Solving (Schemas, Prototypes, Confrontation, Negotiation, Complexity).

Abstract

Three influential theories of marital adjustment--marital contract, intergenerational and object relations theories--suggest that married partners' expectations about their roles in marriage, along with global concepts of self and spouse, largely determine their level of marital satisfaction. The foundation concepts of these theories--marriage contracts, internal marriage models (intergenerational theory), and self-object representations (object relations theory)--are similar in that each is an organized network of information about some aspect of interpersonal relations. Researchers in social cognition have described some closely related constructs within the general category "social knowledge structures;" these are integrated packets of information about persons, situations, or self. These "networks of associations" greatly influence interpersonal behavior. Marital theorists suggest that "high differentiation" within knowledge structures about self and spouse is associated with good marital adjustment. "Differentiation" appears to be, not a single concept, but a number of loosely related ones. Intergenerational theorists define differentiation as psychological autonomy from one's family of origin. Object relations theorists define differentiation as (1) an awareness of self as separate from others, and (2) a global vision of persons as complex and capable of a wide range of behavior. This study was a test of the hypothesis that differentiation is related to skill in marital problem-solving. Clinical theory suggests that high differentiation is associated with good problem-solving. The author, however, suggests that certain kinds of differentiation may reflect the level of intimacy within the marriage relationship. This alternative view includes the hypothesis that low differentiation is associated with good problem-solving skills. The data supported the author's interpretations. Measures of differentiation were associated with problem-solving skill, but an inverse relationship was found. The differentiation concept is examined in light of these findings. While certain kinds of differentiation appear to be associated with interpersonal skill, these relationships are probably more complex than established theory suggests. A number of important theoretical and methodological questions about the concept of differentiation were raised by this study, and these dem and further investigation. Until supportive data become available, several assumptions that are currently quite influential within clinical circles remain open to question.