说实话还是说好话?消费决策中伴侣反馈类型如何影响关系满意度

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.0362

摘要/Abstract

摘要：

在日常的消费决策中, 个体(沟通者)经常主动询问并需要伴侣给予反馈, 然而伴侣(反馈者)常在 “如实反馈”与“情感保护”存在两难选择的“困难对话”中感到为难。本研究将真实想法(真实但不够友善)和善意谎言(友善但不完全真实)视为伴侣的两种反馈类型, 通过4项研究探讨其对伴侣关系满意度的影响。研究发现, 伴侣反馈类型与反馈时机(消费决策前vs.后)之间存在显著交互效应, 感知伴侣支持起中介作用, 且该效应受到产品类型(享乐性vs.实用性)的调节。本研究创新性地关注沟通者视角下的伴侣反馈, 拓展了善意谎言在消费决策中的研究内涵和外延。实践上, 本文也为消费决策的反馈策略和提升亲密关系的满意度提供了有益启示。

关键词: 善意谎言, 反馈时机, 感知伴侣支持, 产品类型, 伴侣关系满意度

Abstract:

In intimate relationships, feedback can play a significant role in shaping relationship satisfaction. However, when providing feedback, partners often face a dilemma: to be completely honest or to tell a "white lie" to protect their significant other's feelings. Previous research has explored the effects of honest feedback and white lies on relationships, but the role of feedback timing and product type remains underexplored. This study aims to address these gaps by examining how different types of feedback (brutal truth vs. white lies) regarding consumption decisions, the timing of feedback (before vs. after a purchase decision), and product types (hedonic vs. utilitarian) influence relationship satisfaction. The study also investigates how perceived partner support mediates these effects on relationship satisfaction.

Four experiments were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Experiment 1a involved 210 participants and examined the effect of different types of partner feedback (brutal truth vs. white lies vs.no feedback) on relationship satisfaction, employing a single-factor between-subjects design. Experiment 1b involved 230 participants and explored the impact of different types of partner feedback (brutal truth vs. white lies vs.no feedback) × 2 (feedback timing: pre-decision vs. post-decision) on relationship satisfaction. Experiment 2 involved 272 participants and introduced feedback timing as a moderating variable, utilizing a 2 (partner feedback: honest feedback vs. white lies) × 2 (feedback timing: pre-decision vs. post-decision) random assignment design. Experiment 3 included 550 participants and used a 2 (partner feedback: brutal truth vs. white lies) × 2 (feedback timing: pre-decision vs. post-decision) × 2 (product type: hedonic vs. utilitarian) design.

The results revealed several key findings: (1) When feedback timing is not considered, there is no significant difference between honest feedback and white lies, and both improve relationship satisfaction compared to no feedback. (2) The timing of feedback played an important role: honest feedback provided before decision making led to higher relationship satisfaction, while white lies provided after the decision enhanced satisfaction. (3) Perceived partner support mediates the effects of feedback type and timing on relationship satisfaction. (4) Product type moderated the effect of feedback: when the product was hedonic, there was no significant difference in satisfaction between receiving a white lie or honest feedback before the decision. However, for utilitarian products, honest feedback before the decision led to higher satisfaction than white lies. Whether for hedonic products or utilitarian products, white lies lead to higher relationship satisfaction in the post-decision period.

This study contributes to the understanding of communication in intimate relationships, emphasizing the importance of feedback timing and type in determining relationship satisfaction. The findings suggest that feedback can enhance satisfaction, but its effectiveness depends on when it is given and the type of product involved. Perceived partner support plays a crucial role in mediating these effects. These insights have practical implications for relationship management, suggesting that partners should consider the timing and nature of feedback when making consumption decisions. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of understanding how different product types influence feedback dynamics, which could inform marketing strategies aimed at couples.

Key words: white lies, feedback timing, perceived partner support, product type, relationship satisfaction

中图分类号:

B849: F713.55

李世豪, 张文悦, 梁思萌, 符国群. (2026). 说实话还是说好话?消费决策中伴侣反馈类型如何影响关系满意度. 心理学报, 58(2), 362-375.

LI Shihao, ZHANG Wenyue, LIANG Simeng, FU Guoqun. (2026). Be honest or tell a white lie? The impact of partner feedback in consumer decisions on relationship satisfaction. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 58(2), 362-375.

图/表 5

图1 理论模型图

图2 实验1b反馈时机的调节作用

图3 实验2反馈时机的调节作用

图4 实验2中介效应图

图5 实验3产品类型的调节作用

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