Re-evaluating the honing framework: Naturalistic observation of same- and different-sex couples' conversations

Abstract

The current study tested the honing framework, which posits that people in same-, versus different-, sex couples may reduce their social networks to primarily include members perceived as supportive, facilitating more satisfying social interactions and enjoying more positive affect. The honing framework also predicts similarities among people in same- and different-sex couples, including quantity of social interactions, and social interaction links to well-being. Seventy-eight couples participated: 25 women with women, 19 men with men, and 34 different-sex couples. Over two weekends, both partners wore the Electronically Activated Recorder, a device that records audible, naturally-occurring social interactions. Additionally, each partner completed well-being questionnaires. Actor-partner interdependence models mostly supported the honing framework, revealing similarities among same- and different-sex couples, including the quantity of social interactions, as well as interaction quantity links to well-being. The data also revealed a novel, unpredicted component of the honing framework: people in same-sex couples tended to have more one-on-one and fewer group interactions compared to people in different-sex couples. This lends support to and further develops the honing framework, revealing that people in same-sex couples manage to hone their social networks to close, supportive members with whom they have one-on-one, satisfying interactions.