Figure 1
Design of Each Wave.
Note. Each wave includes longer assessments (Wave-Start Global Assessment, Wave-End Global Assessment) on Days 1 and 7, and within-day and end-of-day surveys (States & Situations) on Days 2–4. Days 5 and 6 are optional catch-up days in case participants completed less than ten daily surveys. The start of each wave is separated by five months.
Table 1
Main Instruments Used in the Study.
| MEASURED CONSTRUCTS | #ITEMS | REFERENCES | ADAPTED | TRANSLATED | WAVES | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||||
| Wave-Start Global Assessment (Beginning of each wave, ca. 45 min) | |||||||||||
| Sociodemographic information | 12 | (Tillmann et al., 2022) | x | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Relationship History | ~32 | – | x | – | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Relationship Status & Transitions | ~99 | – | x | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Life events | 14 | (Lüdtke et al., 2004, 2011; Tillmann et al., 2022) | x | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Perceived characteristics of transitions | 18 | (Luhmann et al., 2020) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Five-Factor Model traits (BFI-2-S) | 30 | (Rammstedt et al., 2018; Soto & John, 2017) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Honesty/Humility | 4 | (Lee & Ashton, 2018; Roth & Altmann, 2019) | – | – | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Self-esteem (RSE) | 10 | (Rosenberg, 1965; von Collani & Herzberg, 2003) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Self-perceived mating success | 6 | (Fisher et al., 2008; Landolt et al., 1995) | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Life Goals | 24 | (Pöhlmann et al., 2010) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Attachment Global (ECR-RS-G) | 9 | (Bühler et al., 2022; Fraley et al., 2011; Mund & Drewke, 2020) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Attachment Partner (ECR-RS-P) | 9 | (Bühler et al., 2022; Fraley et al., 2011; Mund & Drewke, 2020) | – | – | |||||||
| Domain-specific strain | 4 | (Ta et al., 2017) | – | x | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Narcissism (FFNI) | 15 | (Jauk et al., 2021; Packer West et al., 2021) | x | – | x | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) |
| Big Five change goals | 6 | (O. C. Robinson et al., 2015) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Roles | 15 | (Bleidorn, 2009; Roberts & Donahue, 1994) | x | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Partner Preference | 17 | (Regan, 1998; Sprecher & Regan, 2002) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Loneliness | 1 | (Mund et al., 2022; Mund & Drewke, 2020) | – | – | – | – | x | x | x | x | x |
| Self-esteem stability | 3 | (Altmann & Roth, 2018) | – | – | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Self-esteem contingencies | 15 | (Messer & Harter, 2012) | x | x | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Momentary Experiences (within each wave, 5 × per day for 3 days, ca. 5 min) | |||||||||||
| State affect | 2 | (Wilhelm & Schoebi, 2007) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Objective situational characteristics | 3 | (Karnowski, 2013; Rauthmann & Sherman, 2016a; Zygar-Hoffmann, Hagemeyer, et al., 2020) | x | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Subjective situational characteristics (DIAMONDS) | 9 | (Parrigon et al., 2017; Rauthmann & Sherman, 2016b; Roemer et al., 2021) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Roles | 12 | (Bleidorn, 2009) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Five-factor model personality states (FFM-PSI) | 15 | (Gander et al., 2025) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| State self-esteem | 1 | (Geukes et al., 2017; Robins et al., 2001) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| State closeness (general) | 1 | (Zygar-Hoffmann, Hagemeyer, et al., 2020) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Daily Experiences (within each wave, at the end of the day for 3 days, ca. 5 min) | |||||||||||
| Daily satisfaction | 1 | (Zygar-Hoffmann, Hagemeyer, et al., 2020) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Positive partnership experiences | 3 | – | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Negative partnership experiences | 3 | – | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Daily relationship satisfaction | 1 | (Zygar-Hoffmann, Pusch, et al., 2020) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Daily Dating Behavior | 1 | (Brüderl et al., 2023; Stephure et al., 2009) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Time spent with partner/potential partners | 1 | (Zygar-Hoffmann, Hagemeyer, et al., 2020) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Daily closeness (partner-specific) | 2 | (Zygar-Hoffmann, Hagemeyer, et al., 2020) | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Daily self-esteem | 4 | (Geukes et al., 2017) | – | – | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Daily sexual desire & satisfaction | 2 | (Gadassi et al., 2016; Spector et al., 1996) | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Daily attachment global | 2 | (Finkel et al., 2007) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
| Daily attachment partner | 2 | (Finkel et al., 2007) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
| Enjoyable activities | 16 | (Kuykendall et al., 2020; Pressman et al., 2009) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Wave-End Global Assessment (at the end of each wave, ca. 15 min) | |||||||||||
| Life satisfaction (SWLS) | 5 | (Diener et al., 1985; Glaesmer et al., 2011) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Affect (SPANE) | 12 | (Diener et al., 2010; Rahm et al., 2017) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Domain-specific satisfaction | 11 | (Goebel et al., 2019) | x | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Relationship satisfaction (RAS) | 7 | (Hendrick, 1988; Sander & Böcker, 1993) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Commitment | 9 | (Grau et al., 2001; Rusbult et al., 1998) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Sociosexuality (SOI-R) | 9 | (Penke & Asendorpf, 2008; Simpson & Gangestad, 1991) | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Frequency, desire, and satisfaction with sexual life | 4 | (Gadassi et al., 2016; Spector et al., 1996) | – | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Big Five change expectancies in relationships | 6 | (O. C. Robinson et al., 2015) | x | x | x | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Coping behavior | 16 | (Addison et al., 2007; Speyer et al., 2016) | – | – | x | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) |
| Emotion regulation strategies | 10 | (Abler & Kessler, 2009; Gross & John, 2003) | – | – | x | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) | (x) |
| Short Schwartz Value Survey German Version (SSVS-G) | 10 | (Boer, 2015; Lindeman & Verkasalo, 2005) | – | – | – | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Infidelity | 7 | (Jones et al., 2013) | – | x | – | – | – | x | x | x | x |
| Redemptive and contaminated mindsets (RCRF) | 21 | (Dunlop et al., 2020; Wilm et al., 2025) | x | – | – | – | – | – | – | (x) | – |
[i] Note. Mentioned are the most important variables assessed. The full list of items is available on the project’s OSF page. Translated: Items were translated to German by the project team and a back-translation procedure was employed. Adapted: x = Items were adapted and slightly changed from the original source, – = an unaltered version of the items was used. Waves: (x) = an abbreviated version was assessed at the respective wave (i.e., at least one item per scale was used for all participants, while each participant received a different random subset of the remaining items). Measures on relationship quality or current partners were only shown to participants who reported being in a relationship (see supplementary materials for filter logic).