PH
Doing something for your partner
doesn't automatically strengthen a relationship.
Research on sacrifice suggests that why someone makes the sacrifice matters.
People can sacrifice because they genuinely want to support their partner, or because they're trying to avoid conflict, guilt, or rejection.
Sacrifices motivated by positive goals have been associated with better personal and relationship outcomes.
Avoidance-motivated sacrifices can instead be associated with poorer outcomes.
So “I gave up so much for this relationship” isn't automatically evidence that the relationship became stronger.
A sacrifice freely made out of care can feel very different from one made because you're afraid of what happens if you say no.
© Journal of Personality and Social Psychology