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Cited by 676Attachment and Relationship DynamicsEvolutionary Psychology and Human BehaviorSocial Power and Status Dynamics

Emotional convergence between people over time.

Anderson, Cameron, Keltner, Dacher, John, Oliver P.·2003·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1054
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Abstract

The authors propose that people in relationships become emotionally similar over time--as this similarity would help coordinate the thoughts and behaviors of the relationship partners, increase their mutual understanding, and foster their social cohesion. Using laboratory procedures to induce and assess emotional response, the authors found that dating partners (Study 1) and college roommates (Studies 2 and 3) became more similar in their emotional responses over the course of a year. Further, relationship partners with less power made more of the change necessary for convergence to occur. Consistent with the proposed benefits of emotional similarity, relationships whose partners were more emotionally similar were more cohesive and less likely to dissolve. Discussion focuses on implications of emotional convergence and on potential mechanisms.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1054

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  • Leader emotions are contagious and tend to spread across group members and recalibrate the emotional climate.

    “A robust body of empirical research supports the contagious nature of leader emotions, showing their tendency to spread across group members and recalibrate the emotional climate (Anderson et al., 2003; Cherulnik et al., 2001; Haag and Laroche, 2009; Haag and Getz, 2016; Sy et al., 2005).”

    From The Groupfeel syndrome: a theory of a counterproductive group emotion (2026) · cites this paper as Anderson et al., 2003

  • Emotional convergence is asymmetrical between partners with different levels of power, with lower-power partners shifting more toward the emotional experiences of their higher-power partners than vice versa.

    “emotional convergence is asymmetrical between partners with different levels of power, with lower-power partners shifting more toward the emotional experiences of their higher-power partners than vice versa”

    From The Social Effects of Emotions (2022) · cites this paper as Anderson et al. 2003

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Authors
Anderson, C., Keltner, D., & John, O. P.
Affiliations
  • Northwestern University (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2003-05
Volume
84
Issue
5
Pages
1054-1068
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1054
OpenAlex
W2158873671
Cited by
676
References
109
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 44 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 47
FWCI
10.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Power and Status Dynamics
Keywords
emotional similarity, romantic relationships, dating partners, college roommates, relationship cohesion, breakup, power in relationships, emotional responses, social coordination
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Courtship, Cross-Sectional Studies, Emotions, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Personality, Power, Psychological, Sex Factors, Students, Time Factors

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