## **Rationale and Hypotheses** ## In Studies 1 and 2 we found that romantic partners are fairly accurate in their perceptions of each other’s relational boredom, and that accuracy (tracking the pattern of one’s partner’s responses) and bias (general tendency to over- or under-estimate) were associated with differences in relationship quality. The relational boredom literature typically describes boredom as something that fluctuates over time, and determining whether partners accurately recognize these fluctuations could have consequences for the maintenance of relationships. More specifically, accuracy and bias may act as a cue indicating to partners when relationship maintenance behaviors are required to sustain the relationship. Therefore, Study 3 involves determining whether romantic partners can accurately track each other’s relational boredom over time, and whether changes in relationship quality can be predicted by changes in accuracy and bias. In Studies 1 and 2, participants overestimated (marginal in Study 1) their partner's relational boredom, and we propose that this effect will be replicated in Study 3 (H1). The meaning of tracking accuracy is different in Study 3 than it was in Studies 1 and 2, such that it previously represented participants' ability to track the pattern of their partner's relational boredom across items of the relational boredom scale (i.e. which items they identify with more vs. less), but in Study 3 it will represent participants' ability to track the pattern of their partner's relational boredom across days of the diary study (i.e. which days they are more bored vs. less). Despite this, and consistent with Studies 1 and 2, we hypothesize that romantic partners will demonstrate tracking accuracy (H2) and project their own levels of relational boredom onto their perceptions of their romantic partner (assumed similarity; H3). Additionally, similar to Studies 1 and 2, we anticipate that bias and accuracy will be associated with relationship quality. Consistent with Studies 1 and 2, we predict that when both perceptions of and actual relational boredom are high, both perceivers’ and partner’s relationship quality will be low (H4). However, if perceptions of the partner’s boredom, their actual boredom, or both are low, we propose this will have a protective function and relationship quality will be preserved (H5). Also, consistent with Studies 1 and 2, we predict that overestimation of the partner’s relational boredom will be associated with higher partner relationship quality (H6). However, given the inconsistent effects of bias with relationship quality for perceivers, these results will remain exploratory in Study 3.