Description

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This volume brings together leading investigators who integrate two distinct research domains in social psychology--people's internal worlds and their close relationships. Contributors present compelling findings on the bidirectional interplay between internal processes, such as self-esteem and self-regulation, and relationship processes, such as how positively partners view each other, whether they are dependent on each other, and the level of excitement in the relationship. Methodological challenges inherent in studying these complex issues are described in depth, as are implications for understanding broader aspects of psychological functioning and well-being.

About the Author

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Kathleen D. Vohs, PhD, is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She holds a McKnight Presidential Fellowship and is the Board of Overseers Professor of Marketing. Dr. Vohs has more than 120 professional publications, including six books. Her research is concerned with self-regulation, particularly in regard to impulsive spending and eating, decision making, self-esteem, the fear and feeling of being duped, self-escape behaviors, and the psychology of money. 

Eli J. Finkel, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University. After receiving his PhD in social psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001, Dr. Finkel served for 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University under a grant from the National Institutes of Health. His research has examined the impact of self-processes (e.g., self-concept, self-regulatory dynamics, narcissistic entitlement) on relationships, and of relationship processes (e.g., interpersonal emotion expression, relationship commitment, social coordination) on the self. Dr. Finkel's most recent research focuses on the interplay between self and relationship dynamics in the first minutes, hours, and days of initial romantic attraction.

Praise For…

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"This volume reflects state-of-the art research on the dynamic interplay between the self and relationships. Lucidly written chapters provide textured and pointed discussions on how self-processes influence interpersonal relationships and vice versa. An admirable feature of the book is that it is tightly edited: chapters are interconnected and foster continuity, with one chapter addressing issues that were raised in another. The volume is well planned, comprehensive, and generative. Importantly, it is perfectly suited for scholars in the field; as a textbook for graduate or undergraduate seminars (on self, relationships, or interpersonal processes); and even as a supplementary social psychology text for undergraduates ready for challenging work."--Constantine Sedikides, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, UK

"There has been a surge of interest in the interplay between the self and relationships in our empirical journals, but no comprehensive overview has been available. This timely volume satisfies that important need. It presents an impressive set of chapters examining both the influence of the self on relationship functioning and, even more uniquely, the role of relationships in shaping the self. Further, the broad conceptual definition of the self that the authors adopt gives the volume sufficient scope to be used both as an advanced undergraduate text and as a general reference book."--John G. Holmes, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Canada


"If the importance of a book can be judged by how many pages are dog-eared, this is a very important book. I found myself excitedly marking almost every other page. I was thrilled by the original, sometimes ingenious, content; sophisticated methodology; and elegant style of all the contributions in what I consider an evolutionary first step and a milestone for social psychology. The contributors represent the very best that social psychology can produce."
— PsycCRITIQUES

"Each chapter is authored by renowned scholars in the fields of relationships, self, and behavior, and the chapters are brought together into a single volume that gives a detailed overview of much empirical work being conducted on self, self-concept, and relationships, and how these components interact and affect the self....Each chapter can stand alone as a complete work within itself....The chapters complement each other and combine as a whole to create a must-have reference regarding the intersection of self and relationship development. This volume is a great tool for anyone who would like more information regarding an interdisciplinary view of the self and those processes that can affect one's self and relationships."
— The Family Psychologist