Abstract
Intimate social relationships are likely to include messages of health-related social control. Depending on personality characteristics, people may perceive these messages as positive or negative. Relationship quality may also influence these perceptions. It is believed that social control may contribute to health by discouraging health-compromising behavior and promoting health-enhancing behavior. Because of their known influence on health, personality and relationship quality were investigated with regard to their associations with perceptions of health-related social control messages, and ultimately on their propensity to encourage greater participation in physical activity. To examine possible associations, data were collected from 407 participants (Mage = 37.34 years, SD = 1.67; 62% women). Cross-sectional results suggest that personality characteristics not only influence relationship satisfaction and perceptions of health-related social control messages, but that relationship quality also plays a role in whether such messages are perceived as positive or negative.