This dissertation uses a mathematical and culturally-based theory of emotion and identity
to examine the behavioral and mental health consequences of participation in different
types of structured relationships. Online-administered surveys gathered identity and
emotion semantic differential scale measures from a primary two-wave longitudinal
sample (N=93) of young adult college students in stable (defined relationships) and
mutable (hookup culture’s “undefined” relationships) romantic relationships. Through
MANOVA, two-sample t-test, regression, and structural equation model analyses
conducted using variables of respondent identities and emotions, affect control theory
computed emotions, and variables of respondent identity discrepancy (squared Euclidian
distance between personas (true selves) and relational selves (selves in relationship)) and
emotion discrepancy (squared Euclidean distance between respondent emotion
expectations and respondent emotion experiences), I find (1) evidence for statistically
distinct labels for relationship types within hookup culture; (2) that respondents in
undefined and defined relationships (a) seek to affirm personas rather than relational
selves, (b) assess undefined relationship identities as evaluatively lower than defined
relationship identities, and (c) have similar personas but dissimilar relational selves; and
(3) that relationship emotional optimism (evident in computations for both defined and
for undefined relationship participants) is justified in defined, but not undefined,
relationship experiences. Finally, I find that (4) affirming one’s relational identity
actually increases relationship dissolution likelihood when that relational identity is
affectively dissimilar to one’s persona identity (accounting for a 17% reduction in direct
effect of relationship type on dissolution likelihood). This research documents a
previously overlooked relationship type within hookup culture, provides empirical
validation for affect control theory and affect control theory of self, and presents
empirical evidence that emotion signals in the present significantly influence relationship
behaviors in the future.
to examine the behavioral and mental health consequences of participation in different
types of structured relationships. Online-administered surveys gathered identity and
emotion semantic differential scale measures from a primary two-wave longitudinal
sample (N=93) of young adult college students in stable (defined relationships) and
mutable (hookup culture’s “undefined” relationships) romantic relationships. Through
MANOVA, two-sample t-test, regression, and structural equation model analyses
conducted using variables of respondent identities and emotions, affect control theory
computed emotions, and variables of respondent identity discrepancy (squared Euclidian
distance between personas (true selves) and relational selves (selves in relationship)) and
emotion discrepancy (squared Euclidean distance between respondent emotion
expectations and respondent emotion experiences), I find (1) evidence for statistically
distinct labels for relationship types within hookup culture; (2) that respondents in
undefined and defined relationships (a) seek to affirm personas rather than relational
selves, (b) assess undefined relationship identities as evaluatively lower than defined
relationship identities, and (c) have similar personas but dissimilar relational selves; and
(3) that relationship emotional optimism (evident in computations for both defined and
for undefined relationship participants) is justified in defined, but not undefined,
relationship experiences. Finally, I find that (4) affirming one’s relational identity
actually increases relationship dissolution likelihood when that relational identity is
affectively dissimilar to one’s persona identity (accounting for a 17% reduction in direct
effect of relationship type on dissolution likelihood). This research documents a
previously overlooked relationship type within hookup culture, provides empirical
validation for affect control theory and affect control theory of self, and presents
empirical evidence that emotion signals in the present significantly influence relationship
behaviors in the future.