Method
Sample Participants were drawn from several sections of a “Psychology of Personal Relationships” course at a state college in the Northeast United States. This general education course draws a diverse cross-section of students from various academic majors. A total of 194 Juniors and Seniors (mean and modal age 20) participated. The majority of participants were female (83%); 92% were Caucasian, 6% African-American, 1% Hispanic; 97% were heterosexual. A subset of 50 participants was used for coding system development and the establishment of inter-rater reliability.
Measure and Procedure During the first week of the semester, students were instructed to record their personal theories about how romantic relationships develop and proceed. They were told NOT to consult the course materials but rather to draw from their own uncensored beliefs and ideas. Students wrote 2 - 4 page papers detailing their personal theories. After completing their papers, students were asked to voluntarily consent to submit their paper for participation in this study. All students consented to participate. Consenting students’ papers were deidentified so as to protect the participants’ right to confidentiality.