Influence of Self-Perception of Alcohol Use on Differential Relationship Maintenance Among Married Persons

Throughout evolutionary history, the maintenance of long-term mating relationships has played an important role in human reproductive processes (Maner, Rouby & Gonzaga, 2008). Maintaining commitment to a current long-term partner has a lot of benefits (Gonzaga, Keltner, Londabl & Smith, 2001). For example, compared to the offspring of many other mammals, human offspring have benefited from high levels of investment from both parents (Daly & Wilson, 1983) which usually requires some degree of long-term relationship investment and commitment. Also, children living with two biological parents continue to be healthier compared to children growing up in other family arrangements and when they reach adulthood, surveys show that they will have better physical health and a longer lifespan (Wood, Goesling & Avellar, 2007). Successfully maintaining relationships has also been linked to several positive outcomes including relational satisfaction and longevity (Guerrero, Eloy, and Wabnik, 1993). Moreover, staying committed to a long-term mating relationship can provide benefits through engagement in continued social alliances associated with the relationship (e.g. the presence of extended family and automatic interaction with social groups of one’s spouse) (Maner, et. al., 2008).