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On the Importance of Knowing Your Partner’s Views: Attitude Familiarity is Associated with Better Interpersonal Functioning and Lower Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Daily Life

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Relationships have been linked to significant physical health outcomes. However, little is known about the more specific processes that might be responsible for such links.

Purpose

The main aim of this study was to examine a previously unexplored and potentially important form of partner knowledge (i.e., attitude familiarity) on relationship processes and cardiovascular function.

Methods

In this study, 47 married couples completed an attitude familiarity questionnaire and ambulatory assessments of daily spousal interactions and blood pressure.

Results

Attitude familiarity was associated with better interpersonal functioning between spouses in daily life (e.g., greater partner responsiveness). Importantly, attitude familiarity was also related to lower overall ambulatory systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.

Conclusions

These data suggest that familiarity with a spouse’s attitudes may be an important factor linking relationships to better interpersonal and physical health outcomes.

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Notes

  1. We thank the reviewers for this excellent suggestion.

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Acknowledgments

This research was generously supported by grants R01 HL68862 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Health Psychology Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    David M. Sanbonmatsu Ph.D., Bert N. Uchino Ph.D. & Wendy Birmingham M.A.

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E. Rm. 502, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0251, USA

    David M. Sanbonmatsu Ph.D. & Bert N. Uchino Ph.D.

Authors
  1. David M. Sanbonmatsu Ph.D.
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  2. Bert N. Uchino Ph.D.
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  3. Wendy Birmingham M.A.
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Correspondence to David M. Sanbonmatsu Ph.D. or Bert N. Uchino Ph.D..

Additional information

David M. Sanbonmatsu and Bert N. Uchino are co-first author.

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Sanbonmatsu, D.M., Uchino, B.N. & Birmingham, W. On the Importance of Knowing Your Partner’s Views: Attitude Familiarity is Associated with Better Interpersonal Functioning and Lower Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Daily Life. ann. behav. med. 41, 131–137 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9234-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9234-0

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