The experience of emotion in close relationships: Toward an integration of the emotion-in-relationships and interpersonal script models

We propose that the study of emotion in close relationships may be advanced through an integration of the emotion-in-relationships model (ERM) with interpersonal script models. In two studies, we tested the hypothesis that people experience emotion when expected patterns of relating are disrupted. We also predicted that the kinds of events that are perceived as disruptive, and the concomitant emotional response, would depend on the relationship context. The results indicated that emotional reactions do vary, depending on the type of relationship in which emotion is experienced. A key finding was that when an individual expresses dissatisfaction, a neglect response from a romantic partner is associated with more negative emotion than a neglect response from a friend. Implications of this finding are discussed. We conclude that interpersonal script models can be fruitfully incorporated into the ERM.