Crimes of Passion: When a Romantic Obsession Leads to an Abusive Relationship

First published: April 22, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12642

Commentary

This study investigated the relationship between passion for a romantic partner, repeated undesirable behavior.

The study was based on a dualistic model of passion and hypothesized that obsession (OP) would be associated with fear of abandonment, which was predicted to be associated with ORI. In contrast, the researchers believe that harmonious passion (HP) should not be associated with ORI.

The results showed that four studies (N = 1257) supported these predictions. Study 1 provided cross-sectional support for these hypotheses from the victim's perspective, and Study 2 replicated Study 1 and extended it to the perpetrator's perspective by demonstrating that the relationship between passion and ORI is mediated by fear of abandonment. Study 3 replicated these findings using an experimental manipulation of passion. Study 4 found similar results by experimentally manipulating the fear of abandonment as a mediator to demonstrate its causal impact on ORI.

The results of these four studies explain why passion and fear of abandonment appear to be important roles in the type of behavior that leads to the willing pursuit of maintaining a romantic relationship.