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  • April 2019
  • Article
  • Journal of the Association for Consumer Research

Rituals and Nuptials: The Emotional and Relational Consequences of Relationship Rituals

By: Ximena Garcia-Rada, Ovul Sezer and Michael I. Norton
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Abstract

Four studies reveal the benefits of relationship rituals: couples with relationship rituals report more positive emotions and greater relationship satisfaction and commitment than those without them. We show that rituals are crucial for understanding consumption practices in romantic relationships. Using a sample of romantic dyads, we identify a novel moderating role of mutual agreement, such that both members of a couple must agree that they have a ritual: different couples can see the same consumption behavior (e.g., paying for a weekly date night) as either a ritual or a routine, and the benefits accrue only to those couples who jointly view it as a symbolically meaningful ritual. We contribute to the literature on rituals by empirically documenting the relationships between rituals, specific emotions, and relationship satisfaction, and by demonstrating that the same sequence of actions can have different psychological effects due to the role of mutual agreement. Finally, we contribute to research on consumers’ shared experiences by suggesting a novel mechanism for committing to such experiences: relationship rituals.

Keywords

Rituals; Relationship Satisfaction; Relationships; Satisfaction; Spending; Behavior; Perception; Emotions

Citation

Garcia-Rada, Ximena, Ovul Sezer, and Michael I. Norton. "Rituals and Nuptials: The Emotional and Relational Consequences of Relationship Rituals." Journal of the Association for Consumer Research 4, no. 2 (April 2019): 185–197.
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About The Author

Michael I. Norton

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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    Laughter on Call: Injecting Conversational Levity

    By: Alison Wood Brooks, Michael Norton and F Katelynn Boland
More from the Authors
  • The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions By: Michael Norton
  • Irrationality in Action: Decision-Making Exercise By: Alison Wood Brooks, Michael I. Norton and Oliver Hauser
  • Laughter on Call: Injecting Conversational Levity By: Alison Wood Brooks, Michael Norton and F Katelynn Boland
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