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Essay on Communication in Romantic Relationships

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Friendships and romantic relationships makes our lives go round. Without them our lives would be dull and lonely. Unlike family members, we are allowed to choose our friends and lovers. There are various levels of friendships and diverse forms of romantic relationships, and they can all lead to being close, intimate, and loving. Both friendships and romances considerably enrich the well-being of our physical and mental state. Friendships can lead to romantic relationships, and romantic relationships can lead to just being friends. Unrequited romantic interest occurs when one person attempts to redefine a friendship as a romantic relationship, but the other partner rejects that attempt. It is a person’s desire for a more intimate, …show more content…

Affinity-seeking strategies are strategies we use to increase others’ liking of us. “First, it is a strategic activity, that is, the individual is actively engaged in the manipulation of certain social behaviors with intended outcomes. Second, individuals possess a repertoire of strategies that are at their disposal, and these strategies are available to the agent at any point in time.” (Flint, 1992) Communicating your attraction to someone increases the probability that your partner will reciprocate, which enriches their attraction to the other person. Simple gestures could increase chances of establishing a deeper relationship. There are also direct and indirect strategies to get an idea of another person’s feelings. Direct strategies would be verbal cues. Verbal cues would include using more informal and personal language and the increase of “you and I” and “we.” Indirect strategies would be nonverbal imminence. Indirect strategies could be sitting closer to someone, making more eye contact, increasing touching, leaning forward, and smiling more. Verbal and nonverbal communication can increase chances of establishing a relationship. These types of behaviors could also show that the other person values the other person, their ideas, and their thoughts. My boyfriend and I have had a year and a half filled with ups, downs, certainty, and mixed feelings. We met

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