Neuroticism is associated with heightened reactivity to social stressors. However, little is known about the micro‐processes through which neuroticism shapes – and is shaped by – affective experiences in close relationships. We examine the extent to which momentary affect is coupled with one’s relationship partner, whether the strength of this coupling differs depending on levels of neuroticism, and whether this coupling and partner’s overall level of positive or negative affect prospectively contribute to differential (rank‐order) changes in neuroticism. Older couples (N = 82, aged 67–93 years) rated their momentary affect six times per day for one week and provided ratings of trait neuroticism at baseline and 18 months later. Multilevel models revealed that among individuals high in neuroticism, individual positive affect was more closely coupled with partner positive affect compared with individuals low in neuroticism. Moreover, neuroticism decreased over time in those participants who showed a higher degree of coupling with partner positive affect and also had a partner with higher overall positive affect. In contrast, neuroticism increased in individuals whose partner had lower overall positive affect. Similar effects were not observed for negative affect. Our findings highlight how relationship partners contribute to daily affective experiences and longer‐term changes in neuroticism.

中文翻译：

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喜怒无常？老年浪漫情侣的神经质和短暂影响的相互作用

神经质与对社会压力源的反应性增强有关。然而，人们对神经质通过紧密的关系影响情感经历的微观过程知之甚少。我们研究了短暂情感与一个人的伴侣之间的耦合程度，这种耦合的强度是否根据神经质水平的不同而不同，以及这种耦合和伴侣的正面或负面总体影响水平是否会导致差异（等级）神经质的改变。老年夫妇（ñ = 82岁（年龄67-93岁）在一周内每天六次评估其瞬时影响，并在基线和18个月后对性状神经质进行了评估。多层次模型显示，与神经质较弱的人相比，在神经质较高的人中，个人的积极影响与伴侣的积极影响更紧密相关。而且，那些表现出较高程度与伴侣积极影响的参与者，以及伴侣整体积极影响较高的参与者的神经质随着时间的流逝而减少。相反，伴侣的总体积极影响较低的人会增加神经质。对于负面影响未观察到类似的效果。我们的发现突出了关系伴侣如何促进日常情感体验和神经质的长期变化。