George Levinger's Definition of Close Relationships and How It's Changed Today

Numerous amounts of people are opting out of marriage; they feel that because marriages end in divorce anyways, they shouldn’t even try. Carefully, Feldhanh emphasizes slight changes that will help decrease divorce rates such as being college educated; he also mentions how cohabiting might increase the possibilities of divorce. Uniting in marriage too young is also a factor in these high divorce rates, and it is recommended that couples marry after their mid-twenties in order to increase the possibility of reaching their twentieth anniversary. There lacks a perfect equation to make a marriage work, but simple and small details make a difference (pp.

The medieval time period brought along a unique style of romance. Romance during the Medieval time referred to French and German poetry dealing with chivalry and the quests of knights in warfare as well as their bravery and courage (Wheeler 1). The chivalry of knights towards women is demonstrated in Milun, Sir Orfeo, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Each of the writings have a different way of unveiling the knight’s chivalry, yet they all share a common theme. Although chivalry is a common theme in all three texts, medieval romance can vary greatly. Some other themes shown throughout the three texts are loyalty, trust, compassion, respect, and devotion.

In a developmental perspective of relational dynamics, communications researcher Mark Knapp, developed a model of relation stages. In Knapp’s model, he included 10 stages, within 2 broad phases, “coming together” at the beginning of the relationship and “coming apart” at the end. The first phases encompasses the first 5 stages, the last phase includes the last 5. However, other researchers have suggested that a third phase, “relational maintenance,” should be included. This stage encompasses the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh stages. These ten stages are as follows.

Mary Anne Fitzpatrick is the developer of the three original types of marriage. The three types include; Traditional marriage, Independent marriage, and Separate Marriage. When she was studying, she noticed that not every couple was the same, and that age played a factor in it as well when it came to categorizing couples in what type of marriage they are. “Couples can be differentiated on the basis of their “independence,” the extent to which they share their feelings with one another. Some couples are highly interdependent, depending on their partners for comfort, expressions of love, and fun. Other couples are more reserved and do not depend on their partners for emotional sharing and support,”(345). This shows Fitzpatrick’s theory of different types of marriage is true and each couple is different form another and that they should be put into different categories and not just one.

Unhealthy Relationships “The greatest marriages are built on teamwork. A mutual respect, a healthy dose of admiration, and a never-ending portion of love and grace.” (Weaver). As nationally acclaimed author Fawn Weaver suggests, a successful marriage is based on the mutual infatuation within a couple, as well with the longevity of newly found love that is found in the premature ages of a relationship. Although it may not always be the most easy thing to do at all times, a healthy marriage should consist of the ceaseless admiration of the two through smooth as in rough.

However it is not as simple as that. Levinger (1976) felt that the likelihood of a marriage surviving depends on three major features. The first factor depends on the attraction of the relationship being either emotional security or sexual fulfilment while the second factor emphasises

As stated in our text, various factors can bind married couples together, such as economic interdependencies, legal, social and moral constraints, relationship, and amongst other things. In the recent years some of these factors have diminished their strengths. The modern generation sees marriage in a different perspective altogether. Individuals today feel they are stable independently, they do not need to rely on their spouse for emotional or financial support. Many are career driven and soar to conquer their dreams over settling down with a family. Such untraditional views have increased divorce rates.

There are over six billion people on Earth today. Each of those people has countless relationships, which extend further into an immense network of relations among thousands of individuals. These relations can be romantic, professional, unconditional, mutual, or the strongest of all, friendship. Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more beings. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism.

This is a book that puts forward what it portrays as seven rules that can guide couples toward a concordant and durable relationship. The book endeavors to expose a number of what it portrays as myths about marriages and also why they fail. The ideas in this book are definitely coming from the most appropriate channel due to the fact that Gottman, being a professor of psychology and the director and founder of the Seattle Marital and Family Institute, has carried out studies on the routines of married couples in remarkable detail through the span of numerous years. The seven standards Gottman sets out are for the lovers to improve their love maps; sustain affection and admiration; move in the direction of each other rather than away; allow their partner impact them; take care of their solvable issues; conquer gridlock, and make shared meaning. Direct in their approach, yet significant in their impact, these standards show partners new and amazing techniques for making their marriage work. These principles help couples concentrate on each other, on focusing on the little everyday moments that when hung together, make up the absolute entirety of any relationship. Being attentive to customary matters gives life partners a strong foundation for settling dispute when it does happen and discovering techniques for living or coping up with those issues that can 't be settled. (Gottman, 2015)

Marriage requires effort and work. Many newlyweds come into a marriage thinking it is easy but do not consider the consequences of marriage that heavily rely on balances and partnership. Marriage is all about compromise. It is important to engage in a premarital program to allow both partners to learn what to expect within a marriage, how to face certain roadblocks, and to better communication when conflict is aroused so that divorce does not become an option. Gottman’s research (2009) has made a significant contribution to the study of relationship and marriage tying unity, harmony, and communication together to make relationship and marriage work. When a couple who does not have consummate love (intimacy, passion, and commitment), they often portray the six indicators of divorce: harsh startup, the Four Horsemen, flooding, body language, failed repair attempts and reflecting on bad memories (Gottman, 2009). Divorce often occurs within the first two years of marriages and almost half of divorces end within the first seven years (Bhutto-Ramirez, 2015).

Mark Knapp developed a theoretical model to which identifies the stages of interpersonal relationships which explains how relationships begin and grow, as well as how they deteriorate and end. This model defines ten separate stages of relational development under three different interrelating categories; Coming Together, Relational Maintenance, and Coming Apart. An analysis of a personal relationship through the use of Knapp’s stages of relational development leads to a better understanding of that relationship and our role within it. In this essay I will be analyzing a personal relationship of my own using Knapp’s stages as a guide. However, these stages are subjective to each individual’s unique situation. Therefore, I will only be examining my relationship in the “coming together” stages. Furthermore, it is possible to pass over or amalgamate stages, as these stages are closer to a guide rather than set rules. For this analysis I will be breaking the “coming together” stages into initiating, experimentation and intensifying, integration, and bonding.

Aside from all of the marital bliss, it is reported that the first two years of marriage can be very challenging I that all of the romance and courtships fades and couples are more inclined to notice the decline in marital quality (Wilson et all,. 2014). Not only does the first few years the stage and build the foundation for a life conflict resolution styles are formed, and hobbits or behaviors develop that could have a positive or negative implication on the marriage (Huston, 2001). Karnay, 2010 suggested that many newly wedded couples lack the ability to effectively resolve problem within the first few years of marriage.

Psychological contact A relationship must exist so that two people may have impact on each other.

Chapter 7: The Human relationship is unique in many ways. There are people who we have the relationship by blood, and there are people who we choose to be with. The family came by birth; we cannot choose who our parents and siblings. People we met at work is the other group of people that we cannot choose. However, we can choose who our friends are and who will be our partners. "Being in intimate relationships involve exposure at times to strong emotional experiences that include hurt, fear, sadness, anger, jealously, loneliness, and love..." (Butaney & Chates, 2014).

Unsatisfied with their partners results in divorce rates and infidelity. These have increased over the years, blemishing the institution of marriage. People may believe that compromises and self sacrifice in a marriage make it a failed institute but the same reasons make a marriage successful. A married man has a constant in his life- his partner. The security and companionship in the relationship helps him achieve happiness. The same sharing is now a pleasure, a way to prevent loneliness (Argyle; 1999). Marriage is known to cause greater satisfaction, greater self esteem and less distress. Evidence shows that married men and women are happier.