Implications of World Beliefs for Satisfying Communal Relationships: The Role of Approach and Avoidance Goals

The current research examined implications of primal world beliefs – beliefs about the world’s basic character – for the maintenance of satisfying and mutually responsive relationships in everyday life, and examined the mediating role of approach and avoidance relationship goals. In a dyadic daily diary study of romantic couples (N = 236 couples and 6,411 days), those who saw the world as Good and Enticing were more satisfied with their relationships and responsive to their partners in everyday life, and they had partners who were more satisfied and responsive. These findings were corroborated by partner and informant reports of responsiveness, and they were mediated by approach relationship goals. Those who saw the world as Good and Enticing pursued rewarding experiences in their relationships, which predicted greater satisfaction and responsiveness of both partners. Results suggest that, by shaping goal pursuit, positive world beliefs may promote satisfying communal relationships that confirm those beliefs.