New Directions in the Psychology of Close Relationships

What makes for strong and enduring relationships? It is a question of increasing scientific and popular interest as it has become clear that relationships can make life happier, healthier, and longer. In this collection, the reader will find an overview of state-of-the-art research on this question and a glimpse of the new directions that will define the future of this field of study. With contributions from leading scholars in the field, the book offers cutting-edge perspectives on the factors and processes that contribute to strong, thriving, and resilient close relationships. Split into three parts, the first part discusses important factors and processes contributing to strong relational bonds in the form of different types of relationships. The second part spotlights contexts such as culture and gender as the domain for future advances in this area of research. Finally, the last part covers data analytic techniques and future directions. Offering a unique perspective on each topic covered, the authors highlight the promising next steps which will inspire advances in the field in the years to come. Bringing together important trends from different areas of research, this text will make a significant contribution to social psychology and is essential for students and academics interested in the psychology of relationships.

Dominik Schoebi is Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. His research centers on daily interactions and emotion processes in intimate and family relationships, and their implications for relationship functioning, as well as for mental and physical health. Belinda Campos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chicano/Latino Studies at the University of California, USA. Her research examines the role of culture in shaping relationship experience and health. Her current research projects investigate the ways in which culture and positive emotions shape health outcomes, with a focus on U.S. Latinos.

Contributors About the Book A Brief Introduction PART I 1. Relationship Formation and Early Romantic Relationships Andrea L. Meltzer & James K. McNulty. 2. Trajectories and Maintenance in Marriage and Long-Term Committed Relationships Justin A. Lavner & Thomas N. Bradbury. 3. Intimate Relationships in Late Life: The Roles of Motivation and Emotion Claudia M. Haase & Michelle N. Shiota. 4. Friendships: Close Relationships throughout the Life Course Beverley Fehr & Cheryl Harasymchuk PART II 5. A Cultural Psychological Perspective on Close Relationships Michael Boiger. 6. Relationships, Gender, and Sexual Orientation: Getting Beyond the Binary Nathalie Meuwly & Ashley K. Randall. 7. Relationships, Health, and Well-Being: The Role of Responsiveness Sarah C. E. Stanton, Richard B. Slatcher, & Harry T. Reis. 8. Relationships and Sexuality: You Reap What You Sow in the Bedroom Emily A. Impett & Amy Muise PART III 9. Data Analysis Strategies for Relationship Research Randi L. Garcia & Thomas Ledermann 10. The promise of integrating context, variability, and change into the study of close relationships: A synthesis Belinda Campos & Dominik Schoebi Index