Embedded in a theoretically founded process model (termed Dynamics of Motive Satisfaction, 'Dyna-MoS'), the present study examined the links between the implicit dispositional communion motive, everyday motivational dynamics, and relationship outcomes in couples. Within-subject processes are proposed to explain betweensubject associations of dispositional motives and relationship satisfaction. For an empirical test of the model, data on the dispositional partner-related need for communion and global relationship satisfaction were obtained from 152 individuals in heterosexual relationships. In an extensive experience sampling spanning 2 weeks, a subsample of 130 individuals answered questions about their current motivational states, mood, state relationship satisfaction, and experiences with their partner five times a day. The results were largely consistent with the DynaMoS model:(1) individuals with a strong dispositional implicit communion motive reported more often to be in a communal motivational state; (2) communally motivated individuals were more likely to engage in subsequent instrumental behaviour; and (3) relationship experiences that potentially satisfy communion motivation led to more positive relationship outcomes when individuals were motivated before compared with when they were not. It is discussed how these results and the experience sampling method can foster our understanding of how dispositional characteristics translate into everyday processes and shape relationship outcomes.When looking into the psychological literature about relationship functioning, a variety of research can be found on between-person and between-couple factors that are associated with better or worse relationship quality. These include,

Relationship satisfaction can be assessed globally, in retrospection or in the moment as a state. Each assessment modality captures the evaluation of individuals’ relationships in a different resolution and comes with its own advantages and limitations. In two experience sampling studies (N = 130 and N = 510) which included global evaluations and a retrospection on the study period, the specificities of the different assessment modalities are examined. We show that 1) retrospective as well as global evaluations best describe the mean of relationship satisfaction states; 2) retrospection introduces an overestimation of the amount of annoyance individuals report experiencing in their relationship on a momentary basis, which results in an overall negative mean-level bias for relationship satisfaction; 3) this bias is most strongly moderated by global relationship satisfaction at the time of retrospection, but also more generally by satisfaction and identity-related beliefs; 4) momentary snapshots of relationship satisfaction get representative of global evaluations after approximately two weeks of sampling. The retrospective bias found in the current studies extends the general bias found for the retrospection of negative affective states to the domain of relationship evaluations. More generally, the results strengthen the understanding of the different assessment modalities, illustrating their validity, their limits thereof and assist researchers in designing effective experience sampling studies to avoid systematic measurement errors introduced by recall.

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