Sexual Orientation
The research on conflict in same-sex unions suggests that the outcomes of conflict in these relationships are often similar to those in heterosexual dyads (Domingue & Mollen, 2009; Patterson, 2000).
For instance, negativity is associated inversely with concurrent satisfaction and predicts declines in satisfaction for heterosexual, gay, and lesbian relational partners (Kurdek, 1994). Homosexual and heterosexual couples also show similar levels of physiological reactivity to conflict (Roisman, Clausell, Holland, Fortuna, & Elieff, 2008).Despite such similarities, there are some differences. Domingue and Mollen (2009) found that same-sex couples were less likely to mutually avoid conflicts than were heterosexual couples. Also, the environment for conflict is different for same-sex couples versus heterosexual ones. This environment can be a unique source of conflict for lesbian and gay couples, inciting disagreements over issues such as how much to tell others about their sexual identity or their relationship (Diamond, Rith, & Butterworth, 2013).
Conceptualizing the environment in terms of individual differences has yielded important findings about the influences of particular relational contexts on conflict. However, it does not provide a comprehensive understanding of conflict environments in romantic relationships. Defining the environment and identifying the various ways that it affects conflict is difficult, but one way to proceed is to consider the influence of environment on five different levels: the cultural, social, dyadic, physical, and temporal levels.