Close Relationships

Interpersonal Attraction and Intimacy

       

Remember : Networks

UNITS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION

Monads:         self-directed actions can be unfulfilling

Dyads:             opportunities for privacy and intimacy

Triads:            opportunities for coalitions

Networks:       large-scale connectedness

 

Stressful events when moving into college

Loneliness or estrangement: feeling distant or isolated from others to whom we do not connect.

What is special about a friend?

In a friendship relation we share behavior and emotions.

 

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Friendship Behaviors

·    Companionship

·    Self-disclosure

·    Helping

 

Friendship Emotions

·    Liking

·    Loving

·    Dependency / Commitment

 

Let’s check this emotional content out using a theory of Love.

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What is Love?

Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love


 

For the interested student:

 

Donna Eder’s research about romantic feeling norms

Peer culture of adolescent girls in 6, 7, and 8th grade

In-depth interviews over three years. Researchers observed the teens during their lunch breaks. One of the big topics was “Romantic Love”

 

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Donna Eder’s Research about

Romantic Feeling Norms

1. “One should have romantic feelings only for someone of the opposite sex”.

 

2. “One should not have romantic feelings for a boy who is already attached”. 

 

3. “One should have romantic feelings for only one boy at a time”.

 

4. “One should always be in love”. (Wiggins et al 349, 350)

 

Norms vary by gender

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Gender Differences in Friendships

1.   Content of a Friendship:

2.   Intimacy of the friendship

3.   Affection in friendships

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Disclaimer: The documents linked to other sources on the WWW, others than http://www2.tltc.ttu.edu/Schneider2/ and its subdirectories, do not necessarily express the views of Texas Tech University or Dr. Andreas Schneider. @Copyright 2007 Andreas Schneider