Cautious to a fault: Self-protection and the trajectory of marital satisfaction

► When does practicing self-protective if-then rules erode marital satisfaction? ► Fit between “if-then” rules and risk forecast newlywed declines in satisfaction. ► When self-protected more, satisfaction declined more in low-risk relationships. ► When self-protected less, satisfaction declined more in high-risk relationships. ► In low-risk relationships, less trust predicted caution and declines in satisfaction.