JUDGMENTS AND PERCEPTIONS OF CONFLICT IN RELATIONSHIPS

Instructions: There are two questionnaires (Part I) and a demographics form (Part II) on this page. Please scroll down to complete all parts of the survey. Thank you.


PART I: Questionnaire Number One



 Directions: Please Read the following paragraph. After you have read the paragraph, for questions A-D choose the number on the scale that corresponds best to your opinion. For question E-G please write a detailed response to the open-ended question.



Jen and Christina live in Massachusetts and have been married for a year. Jen arrives late to a party and sees Christina hugging her ex-girlfriend. After the party, she confronts Christina, but she laughs and says it was "only a hug". Jen gets more and more upset because Christina won't admit she shouldn't have been hugging anyone else. Jen loses control and threatens to throw the car keys at Christina and screams "this relationship is over!"

A. How justifiable was Jen's behavior?
totally justifiable
not at all justifiable

B. How justifiable was Christina's behavior?
totally justifiable
not at all justifiable

C. How abusive was Jen's behavior?
totally abusive
not at all abusive

D. How abusive was Christina's behavior?
totally abusive
not at all abusive


E. Imagine you are a friend or relative of Jen's. What would you tell her to do?

F. Imagine you are a friend or relative of Christina's. What would you tell her to do?

G. If this really did happen, what do you think would be the outcome for the relationship?


PART I (Cont.): Questionnaire Number Two




 Directions: Please Read the following paragraph. After you have read the paragraph, for questions A-D choose the number on the scale that corresponds best to your opinion. For question E-G please write a detailed response to the open-ended question.



Mike and Robert live in Massachusetts and have been married for a year. Mike arrives late to a party and sees Robert hugging his ex-boyfriend. After the party, Mike confronts Robert, but he laughs and says it was "only a hug". Mike gets more and more upset because Robert won't admit he shouldn't have been hugging anyone else. Mike loses control and starts screaming at him, and when Robert tries to walk away, he slaps him across the face.
A. How justifiable was Mike's behavior?
totally justifiable
not at all justifiable

B. How justifiable was Robert's behavior?
totally justifiable
not at all justifiable

C. How abusive was Mike's behavior?
totally abusive
not at all abusive

D. How abusive was Robert's behavior?
totally abusive
not at all abusive


E. Imagine you are a friend or relative of Mike's. What would you tell him to do?

F. Imagine you are a friend or relative of Robert's. What would you tell him to do?

G. If this really did happen, what do you think would be the outcome for the relationship?


Part II. Basic Descriptive Information

Are you a member of the Mercy College Community?  Yes  No

1. What is your age in years? 

2.What is your gender?  Male  Female

3.Gender of current or recent partner?  Male  Female

4.What is your ethnic background?  African-American  Caucasian Latino Asian-American  Other: Please specify 

5.What best describes your dating situation? 

 Do not have a steady dating partner 

 Am in a dating relationship(exclusive with one partner)

 Living with partner in the same household

 Engaged to partner

 Engaged and living with partner in the same household

 Divorced and dating

 Divorced and in dating relationship (exclusive with one partner)

 Divorced and living with partner in same household

 Married

 Domestic Partnership

6. How long have you been in your current relationship? 

7.What best describes your social class?  Lower  Working  Middle Upper Middle  Upper 

8.What is your highest level of education? 

 Some high school 

 High school

 Some College

 Associates degree

 Bachelor's degree

 Some graduate school

 Graduate degree (i.e. Master's, Ph.D., J.D., M.D.)

9. What country were you born in? 

10. What part of the United States do you live in(if a US resident) ?