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Abstract
In the current study, the effect of manipulated feelings of closeness on the self-evaluation maintenance processes of European American and African American couples was examined. 60 European American and 79 African American married couples were induced to think of ways in which they worked as a team or ways in which they each had unique strengths to enhance relationship awareness. Results suggest that enhancing feelings of teamwork had a greater impact on response to advice in African American men, while African American women responded more positively to advice after thinking of their unique strengths. Overall, African Americans viewed advice as being more helpful than European Americans. Results are discussed in terms of cultural differences in collectivism, as well as implications for improving response to advice as a mechanism to enhance relationship functioning.