What Rules and Boundaries Govern Our Everyday Interactions

Relationship maintenance involves the actions and activities used to sustain the desired quality of a relationship. (Weiten et al., 2016, p. 257) These actions include being positive, open, assuring, and doing joint activities. Agnew and VanderDrift showed that these actions can be used to promote interdependence and stability or can protect a relationship from threat. (Weiten et al., 2016, p. 257)

In chapter 4 of The Sociologically Examined Life, Michael Schwalbe discusses “Relationships, Groups, and Interdependence.” This chapter covers several topics in-depth of relationships and why we categorize things the way we do.

In A. L. Evangelista & D. Perlman, Cambridge handbook of personal relationships. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press ISBN 0-521-82617-9

“conflict occurring between individuals or social groups that separated by cultural boundaries can be considered “cross-cultural conflict.” But individuals, even in the same society, are potentially members of many different groups, organized in different ways by different criteria” (Avruvh, 1998, p.6).

It is often said that all good things come to an end. Relationships come and go, and some mean more than others. In fact, there was even a relationship model developed by a communication researcher by the name of Mark Knapp. In his model, he goes through what seems to be presented as a smooth step transition from each stage in which a relationship eventually evolves into. As I studied this up then down ladder model, I began to realize that I ought to build up some strong calf muscles, because my relationship sure has climbed up and down a few flights of stairs. Mark Knapp believes that relationships go through multiple stages, the uphill stages being initiation, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding, then relational maintenance. On the flip side, Knapp believes the descending stages to be differentiating, circumscribing, avoiding, and eventually, termination.

The book is structured around the Relationship Attachment Model, which was created by the author 20 years ago. It “portrays the different forces that create bonds in relationship” and it consists of “five fundamental dynamics, which are the depth to which you know, trust, rely on, have a commitment to and have sexual involvement with” (22). Each of these dynamics provides a unique contribution to the development of a relationship. According to the author, the key of building relationships (by using RAM) is to “keep a balance among the five relationship dynamics”. Whenever the dynamics shift, a person might experiences the feelings of being “unsafe in a relationship, hurt, mistrust and confusion” (24). This model was clearly based on some of the core relational communication theories such as Uncertainty Reduction (URT) and Social Penetration (SPT), as well as it follows Knapp’s staircase model in advising at how one should progress on the staircase and implications of going too fast.

Watch the classical film Grease and one can understand how relationships function in Western Society. The film tells a story of a boy (Danny) and a girl (Sandy) who falls in love. Through a series of misunderstandings they break up, but still somehow care for each other. Through ballads such as Summer Night’s that are still popular today, the film shows how differently males and females view relationships. Films like Grease are like a mirror, reflecting societal values and how it socializes its members. It makes it clear that in relationships, males are socialized to view relationships as mostly a physical, sexual endeavor, while females view it as a perpetual bond –a deeper connection between the two individuals within a relationship.

There is a variety of relationships that a person experiences in a lifetime. A relationship is something that connects two or more people emotionally, mentally or physically. Relationships can be with family, friends, a significant other, and co-workers. Some relationships can help boost self-confidence and self-worth if the relationship goes well or ends well. Although some relationships can tear a

Throughout relationships, what separates them from healthy and unhealthy is a wide spectrum of uncertainty. Furthermore, not every relationship will be stagnant throughout each person’s lifetime. In this paper, I will be discussing the lengths of my relationship with a good friend of mine, Devon. Furthermore, I can pinpoint some areas in the Power and Control Wheel that may have been of use when we were younger. Also, I see an importance of the Equality wheel and how it relates to our relationship today.

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.

Sociological perspectives explains love relationships as not perfect but a working progress. A commitment which relies on continuous maintenance and reassurance. Love relationship practices and investments are configured in experiences that will be shared in the past, present and in the future.

This literature review will first define romantic relationships and explore what exactly happens in the development of these relationships. From the research found, individual’s age or sex did not necessarily affect the differences in communication. Some research claimed that communication itself defined a romantic relationship; while other researchers said that a couple having the conversation of, “what are we?” was enough to define the relationship. Sometimes it was mutuality in a relationship that helped define it. Mutuality in relationships was often increased with positivity and compliments between partners (Doohan and Manusov 2004).

Some relationships are fleeting, some long; some are intense, others comfortable; some are explosive, others

Most people know you cannot advance far in life without strong interpersonal relationships. Focusing on relationships will help you get a job, get promoted and make new friends. Well-honed social skills can increase your happiness and satisfaction and give you a better outlook on life. Also relationships can help to reduce the negative effects of stress and boost one’s over all

To explain human relationships further, the social exchange theory can be another definite explanation to help distinguish how we feel to be with other people and how one perceives to be with them, either to rekindle their relationship or to question the decisions that make to be in a relationship (Kelley 1959). The social exchange theory can be defined as a term that allows behaviour to be exchanged to allow a relationship between two people to happen (Huston et al., 2013). An individual social life involves interactions between two people which can be viewed as social exchanges in terms of costs and benefits (Nakagawa et al., 2013). By taking the view of human relationships the social exchange theory argues that individuals engage in a cost benefit analysis which forms their relationship with others (Milkie et al., 2004). When the costs and benefits are equal in a relationship, it is defined as equitable (Siddiqui 2008). Moreover, romantic relationships may be difficult for some people as it involves interpersonal skills in order to make them mutually satisfying therefore requires constant maintenance. Recently, Psychologists have begun to look at the breakdown of relationships and the characteristics which requires them to fail. The breakdown of relationship is a theory which explains the failure of certain human relationships and the factors that may be involved such as lack