A Tri-Factor Model of Relationship-Specific Intellectual Humility

Abstract

The current study (N = 498) examined the existence, predictors, and consequences of relationship-specific intellectual humility (R-IH). Intellectual humility refers to the degree to which people recognize that their beliefs may be wrong (Leary et al., 2017). While most research has treated intellectual humility as an individual difference variable that is seemingly stable across situations, it is possible that intellectual humility varies depending on who one is interacting with. R-IH refers to one’s tendency to acknowledge that their beliefs might be wrong when interacting with a specific relationship partner who holds different beliefs or brings forth contradictory evidence. Participants received partial course credit in exchange for participation and completed well-established, reliable scales assessing respect for partner knowledge, concern for partner’s well-being, psychological safety with partner in making mistakes, and level of conflict with regard to three relationship partners: someone they are close to, someone they interact with frequently but are not close to, and someone they conflict with. Findings revealed that R-IH in fact varied significantly across participants’ multiple relationships via a tri-factor model, in which R-IH was uniquely predicted by respect, care for one’s partner, and psychological safety, while R-IH predicted reduced conflict frequency. Results suggest that individuals are more intellectually humble in certain relationships as compared to others; that care, respect, and safety in relationships can strengthen intellectual humility in those relationships; and that intellectual humility toward specific partners may lead to fewer conflicts.