RESEARCH PAPER
No licence for love versus same-sex relationships –
partner relations and interpersonal commitment
| 1 | Institute of Psychology, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland |
Submission date: 2020-10-04
Final revision date: 2021-04-11
Acceptance date: 2021-04-13
Online publication date: 2021-06-21
Publication date: 2021-06-22
Current Issues in Personality Psychology 2021;9(2):101–113
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
the role of personality in interpersonal relations and social behaviorsquality of life and well being
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Like heterosexual ones, homosexual partners strive to fulfil their needs for belonging and love. They also build their relationships in countries where less favourable public opinion exists towards same-sex relationships, due in part to the lack of equivalent legislation between heterosexual and non-heterosexual persons and couples. As opponents of such relationships claim them to be less stable and of lower quality, the current study examines whether the sexual orientation of partners may determine the quality of their relationship and their commitment to it.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted in a group of 530 cohabiting persons, aged 18-44 (230 persons with a homosexual orientation and 300 heterosexual) living in Poland. The participants were tested with three tools: a sociodemographic survey, the Polish version of the Partner Relations Questionnaire by Halhweg, adapted by Janicka, and the Interpersonal Commitment Inventory (KZI) by Janicka and Szymczak: the Polish adaptation of the Commitment Inventory by Stanley and Markman.
Results:
The findings indicate that sexual orientation of women and men may influence their tendencies to change partners and their interpersonal commitment, interpreted as their dedication and obligation to stay in the relationship.
Conclusions:
Some detailed analyses suggest that cohabitations between gay women portend better than those of gay men.
Like heterosexual ones, homosexual partners strive to fulfil their needs for belonging and love. They also build their relationships in countries where less favourable public opinion exists towards same-sex relationships, due in part to the lack of equivalent legislation between heterosexual and non-heterosexual persons and couples. As opponents of such relationships claim them to be less stable and of lower quality, the current study examines whether the sexual orientation of partners may determine the quality of their relationship and their commitment to it.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted in a group of 530 cohabiting persons, aged 18-44 (230 persons with a homosexual orientation and 300 heterosexual) living in Poland. The participants were tested with three tools: a sociodemographic survey, the Polish version of the Partner Relations Questionnaire by Halhweg, adapted by Janicka, and the Interpersonal Commitment Inventory (KZI) by Janicka and Szymczak: the Polish adaptation of the Commitment Inventory by Stanley and Markman.
Results:
The findings indicate that sexual orientation of women and men may influence their tendencies to change partners and their interpersonal commitment, interpreted as their dedication and obligation to stay in the relationship.
Conclusions:
Some detailed analyses suggest that cohabitations between gay women portend better than those of gay men.
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