Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Relationships and Sexual Health

People with intellectual humility tend to handle relationship conflicts better, new study finds

by Eric W. Dolan
April 16, 2025
in Relationships and Sexual Health, Social Psychology
[Adobe Stock]

[Adobe Stock]

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Follow PsyPost on Google News

A new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality suggests that intellectual humility—recognizing the possibility that one’s beliefs might be wrong—is linked to more constructive conflict behavior and greater relationship satisfaction in romantic couples. In particular, men who scored higher in intellectual humility tended to report stronger bonds with their partners and were also rated more favorably by those partners across several aspects of relationship quality.

Intellectual humility refers to the tendency to recognize that one’s own views could be flawed. The researchers behind the study were interested in how this mindset influences romantic relationships, especially during conflict. Disagreements are common in long-term partnerships, and how couples handle these disagreements can have a lasting impact on relationship satisfaction. While past research has highlighted the importance of communication skills and empathy, intellectual humility had not been closely examined as a factor in how couples navigate conflict.

“We were inspired to learn more about the many ways that intellectual humility manifests – from large-scale global affairs to everyday interpersonal interactions. The way that people navigate disagreements in close relationships is important to relationship quality and satisfaction and we were interested in the role that intellectual humility plays in such conflicts in romantic relationships,” explained study author Katrina P. Jongman-Sereno, an assistant professor of psychology at Elon University.

The research team recruited 74 heterosexual couples from the southeastern United States, including married, cohabiting, engaged, and dating individuals. The participants ranged in age from 21 to 61, with an average age of about 32. Most had been together for several years, and the majority had at least a college education.

Each participant completed a battery of surveys separately from their partner. These included a validated scale measuring intellectual humility with items like “I accept that my beliefs and attitudes might be wrong.” They also rated their satisfaction with the relationship, how much they liked and loved their partner, how often they argued, and how well they got along.

Additionally, they reported on their own and their partner’s behavior during disagreements—such as raising their voice, admitting fault, or trying to understand the other’s position—and rated what they believed their partner’s goals were during those conflicts, such as wanting to win the argument or find a solution.

The researchers analyzed the data using a method that allowed them to assess how each partner’s level of intellectual humility related to both their own and their partner’s responses. They found that higher levels of intellectual humility in men were associated with higher relationship satisfaction—not only for the men themselves but also for their partners. Men who scored higher in humility also reported a stronger emotional bond with their partners and were seen by their partners as easier to get along with and less likely to engage in frequent arguments.

Interestingly, women’s intellectual humility was not significantly related to their partner’s relationship satisfaction or conflict experiences. It was, however, linked to their own perceptions. Women who were more intellectually humble saw themselves as behaving more constructively during disagreements and were more likely to believe that their partner had positive motives in conflicts, such as trying to understand them or find common ground.

One of the study’s more nuanced findings was that intellectual humility influenced not just how people acted, but how they perceived and responded to their partner’s actions. For instance, men who had female partners with higher humility were more likely to report that they themselves behaved better during arguments. This suggests that a partner’s humility may encourage more respectful and less reactive behavior, particularly among men who are otherwise average or lower in humility themselves.

Despite these associations, the study did not find strong evidence for a synergistic effect when both partners were high in intellectual humility. In other words, having two humble partners did not necessarily amplify relationship benefits beyond what was observed when one partner was humble. Most effects appeared to be additive, meaning that the presence of humility in at least one partner helped—but didn’t multiply—positive outcomes.

“In general, the more people are willing to recognize that their viewpoint may be wrong, the more satisfaction, liking, and love is reported in their romantic relationships,” Jongman-Sereno told PsyPost. “So, valuing perspectives that differ from one’s own and being willing to reconsider one’s beliefs in the face of conflicting evidence may be a key to more satisfying interpersonal relationships. We also found that men’s level of intellectual humility played a bigger role in positive relationship outcomes than women’s.”

But the researchers caution against drawing strong conclusions about causality, given the nature of the study. All data came from self-reports or partner-reports rather than objective observations. While participants’ ratings of themselves and their partners were moderately correlated—suggesting reasonable accuracy—future studies using direct observation of conflict behaviors may provide a clearer picture of how humility influences interpersonal dynamics.

Another limitation is the sample composition. All couples were heterosexual, and most participants were relatively young and well-educated. Since gender differences emerged—particularly in how men’s humility was more consistently related to both their own and their partners’ experiences—the authors suggest that future research should explore whether similar patterns hold in same-sex relationships or in more diverse samples.

The study also raises questions about how intellectual humility might be fostered and whether interventions designed to increase it could help couples experiencing frequent or intense conflict. Although most existing programs to boost intellectual humility have been developed in educational settings, the researchers suggest that relationship counseling could incorporate strategies to help partners reflect on the fallibility of their own beliefs and become more open to alternative perspectives.

The study, “Intellectual humility in romantic relationships: Implications for relationship satisfaction, argument frequency, and conflict behaviors,” was authored by Katrina P. Jongman-Sereno a, Jessica C. Reich, Richard S. Pond Jr., and Mark R. Leary.

TweetSendScanShareSendPinShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Passive scrolling linked to increased anxiety in teens, study finds
Anxiety

Passive scrolling linked to increased anxiety in teens, study finds

May 20, 2025

New research shows that teens who spend more than two hours a day on screens—especially passively scrolling through content—are more likely to report anxiety and emotional or behavioral problems, even when accounting for age, gender, and existing vulnerabilities.

Read moreDetails
Scientists identify distinct brain patterns linked to mental health symptoms
Moral Psychology

Your bodily awareness guides your morality, new neuroscience study suggests

May 20, 2025

Researchers found that interoceptive awareness—the ability to sense internal bodily states—predicts whether people’s moral judgments match group norms. Brain scans revealed that resting-state activity in specific brain regions mediates this relationship.

Read moreDetails
Where you flirt matters: New research shows setting shapes romantic success
Dating

Where you flirt matters: New research shows setting shapes romantic success

May 19, 2025

A new study finds that where a romantic interaction occurs significantly influences its perceived success. Settings judged as socially appropriate—like bars or dating apps—make romantic overtures more likely to be accepted, regardless of the initiator’s attractiveness or familiarity.

Read moreDetails
New research reveals aging shifts gender stereotypes in unexpected ways
Sexism

New research reveals aging shifts gender stereotypes in unexpected ways

May 19, 2025

A new meta-analysis challenges the idea that older women face “double jeopardy” due to age and gender. While younger and middle-aged women are viewed more positively than men, perceptions of older women and men appear to converge in later life.

Read moreDetails
New research challenges idea that female breasts are sexualized due to modesty norms
Attractiveness

New research challenges idea that female breasts are sexualized due to modesty norms

May 18, 2025

A new study of indigenous men in Papua, Indonesia, found that exposure to topless women during youth did not reduce sexual interest in female breasts—suggesting male attraction to breasts may stem from evolved biology rather than cultural taboos.

Read moreDetails
Study finds couples who cuddle at bedtime feel more secure and less stressed
Attachment Styles

Study finds couples who cuddle at bedtime feel more secure and less stressed

May 17, 2025

Couples who fall asleep while cuddling or touching each other report lower stress and fewer signs of insecure attachment, according to a new study. Surprisingly, people’s individual sleep preferences don’t influence how close they sleep to their partner.

Read moreDetails
New study upends decades-old narrative about Democrats and the white working class
Political Psychology

New study upends decades-old narrative about Democrats and the white working class

May 17, 2025

A new analysis disrupts decades of conventional wisdom: the white working class was not a reliable Democratic base in the postwar era. Instead, support for Republicans has been a longstanding trend dating back to the 1940s.

Read moreDetails
Surprisingly strong link found between neighborhood greenness and police shootings
Social Psychology

Surprisingly strong link found between neighborhood greenness and police shootings

May 15, 2025

A new nationwide study suggests that U.S. counties with more green space experience fewer fatal police shootings. The effect was strongest in urban and socioeconomically deprived areas, highlighting the potential public safety benefits of greener environments.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

What brain scans reveal about the neural correlates of pornography consumption

AI chatbots often misrepresent scientific studies — and newer models may be worse

Is gender-affirming care helping or harming mental health?

Study finds “zombie” neurons in the peripheral nervous system contribute to chronic pain

Therapeutic video game shows promise for post-COVID cognitive recovery

Passive scrolling linked to increased anxiety in teens, study finds

Your bodily awareness guides your morality, new neuroscience study suggests

Where you flirt matters: New research shows setting shapes romantic success

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy