The study examined personality profiles (self-esteem, anxiety, and tolerance for ambiguity) among Israeli spouses in late adulthood (128 Israeli husbands and 128 wives). Three dyadic profiles were found: homogeneous-adaptive (high self-esteem, low anxiety, and high tolerance for ambiguity for both spouses); homogeneous-maladaptive (low self-esteem, high anxiety, and low tolerance for ambiguity for both spouses); and heterogeneous-complementary (high self-esteem, low anxiety, and high tolerance for ambiguity for husbands; opposite rankings for wives). Most of the couples were found to have similar individual personality profiles. Moreover, the three dyadic profiles were validated as distinguishing between life satisfaction and gender-role ideology. Homogeneous-adaptive participants were characterized by greater life satisfaction than the other two groups, whereas the homogeneous-maladaptive participants were characterized by more traditional gender-role attitudes. Additionally, we found that the husbands were more satisfied with life than the wives, whereas the wives espoused a more egalitarian gender-role ideology than did their husbands.
The issue of spousal similarity in personality traits and its impact on their lives has gained growing theoretical and empirical research attention in recent years (Arrindell and Luteijn, 2000 and Dubuis-Stadelmann et al., 2001). However, most studies have examined this issue in the early stages of married life, as part of a general paradigm for predicting interpersonal attraction (Aube and Koestner, 1995, Byrne and Blaylock, 1963 and Caspi and Herbener, 1993), or in an attempt to explain conflicts that might arise at various stages of marriage. It has been argued that conflicts resulting from spousal dissimilarity may interfere with each partner’s adaptation and detract from their emotional well-being (Feng and Baker, 1994 and Fitzpatrick, 2002). However, there is a lack of research dealing specifically with the impact of spousal similarity in personality traits on well-being in late adulthood, probably due to the low incidence of divorce and relatively high levels of marital satisfaction during that life stage (for a review, see Atchley, 1992). The issue has become especially relevant in light of findings that link spousal similarity with marital satisfaction (Antill, 1983, Kurdek, 1993 and Luteijn, 1994). Moreover, marital satisfaction in late adulthood has become important in light of the increase in life expectancy in Western societies and in Israel, which has prolonged the number of potential years of marriage.
With regard to spousal similarity in personality traits, several arguments have been put forth (for a review, see Feng & Baker, 1994). One argument maintains that similarity in personality traits is a source of initial attraction between partners at the time of early acquaintance. Another argument maintains that spouses develop similar personality traits after years of cohabitation and frequent interaction. Furthermore, it has been claimed that observed similarity between spouses may be inflated by collection procedures, because divorced or separated couples (who are most likely to be dissimilar) are not included in studies that have examined personality congruence among spouses. Thus, it is assumed that spouses who stay married (“marriage survivors”) are more likely to share similar personality characteristics.
In an attempt to gain further insight into similarities and complementarity among spouses in late adulthood, the present study compared individual personality profiles of Israeli husbands and wives in their late 60s. In light of the empirical findings reviewed above, we expected to find more similarities than complementarity in the personality profiles of spouses.
