Will I Divorce or Have a Happy Marriage?: Gender Differences in Comparative Optimism and Estimation of Personal Chances Among U.S. College Students

Previous research shows inconsistent evidence in regard to gender differences in optimism for experiencing a happy marriage or avoiding divorce depending on whether optimism is measured as comparative optimism (thinking you are better off than your peers) or as personal optimism (estimating your own...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBasic and applied social psychology Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 157 - 166
Main Authors Helweg-Larsen, Marie, Harding, Hilary G., Klein, William M. P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.04.2011
Taylor & Francis
Psychology Press
Subjects
Biological and medical sciences
College Students
Couples
Divorce
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender differences
Locus of Control
Marriage
Optimism
Parents
Peers
Perceptions
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Risk
Risk perception
Sex Differences
Social interactions. Communication. Group processes
Social psychology
Undergraduate students
United States > US
Human
Affect affectivity
Estimation
University environment
Sex
Student
Divorce
Social interaction
Young adult
Romantic love
Optimism pessimism
Marriage
Interpersonal relation
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Summary:Previous research shows inconsistent evidence in regard to gender differences in optimism for experiencing a happy marriage or avoiding divorce depending on whether optimism is measured as comparative optimism (thinking you are better off than your peers) or as personal optimism (estimating your own chances). Results from four samples of unmarried college students (N = 814) indicated that men exhibited greater comparative optimism than women for having a happy marriage but not for getting divorced. For having a happy marriage and avoiding divorce, men exhibited greater personal optimism relative to women. Experience (with parental divorce) moderated the gender difference in personal optimism and perceived control partially mediated the gender difference in comparative optimism (but only for having a happy marriage) and in personal optimism (for both having a happy marriage and avoiding divorce). Results are discussed as they relate to the existing literatures on risk perception and gender differences in romantic relationships.
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ISSN:0197-3533
1532-4834
DOI:10.1080/01973533.2011.568874