How large are actor and partner effects of personality on relationship satisfaction? The importance of controlling for shared method variance

Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2013 Oct;39(10):1359-72. doi: 10.1177/0146167213492429. Epub 2013 Jun 24.

Abstract

Previous research suggests that the personality of a relationship partner predicts not only the individual's own satisfaction with the relationship but also the partner's satisfaction. Based on the actor-partner interdependence model, the present research tested whether actor and partner effects of personality are biased when the same method (e.g., self-report) is used for the assessment of personality and relationship satisfaction and, consequently, shared method variance is not controlled for. Data came from 186 couples, of whom both partners provided self- and partner reports on the Big Five personality traits. Depending on the research design, actor effects were larger than partner effects (when using only self-reports), smaller than partner effects (when using only partner reports), or of about the same size as partner effects (when using self- and partner reports). The findings attest to the importance of controlling for shared method variance in dyadic data analysis.

Keywords: Big Five personality traits; actor–partner interdependence model; dyadic data analysis; relationship satisfaction; self- and partner reports.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bias
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Personality*
  • Self Report
  • Young Adult