Communal Motivation

Abstract

In close relationships, people’s outcomes become highly intertwined, or interdependent, over time and across contexts (Clark & Mills 2011; Kelley & Thibaut 1978; Rusbult & Van Lange 2003). For example, young children rely on care from their parents as they grow and develop, and as they become older themselves, they often provide care and companionship to their aging parents. Friends provide emotional support to one another in times of need and share in one another’s joys in times of accomplishment. Romantic partners provide affection and physical intimacy to each other in ways unmatched by other relationship partners. Given that people rely on their relationship partners to meet many of their needs and desires, communal motivation, or care for the welfare of others, is an important component of personal well-being and satisfying relationships (Le, Impett, Lemay, Muise, & Tskhay 2018). Here, the history of communal motivation research is reviewed; the role of communal motivation in building and maintaining relationships described; and the emotional expressions and reactions linked to communal motivation explained.