Relationship
A set of expectations two people have for each other based on their pattern of interaction
Good Relationship
A relationship in which the interactions are satisfying and healthy for those involved
Abusive Relationship
A relationship in which the interactions are physically, mentally, or emotionally harmful to one or both partners
Constitutive Function
The communication messages exchanged in a relationship from the relationship
Instrumental Function
The communication messages exchanged in a relationship are the means through which we accomplish our personal and relationship goals
Indexical Function
Embedded in the communication messages that are exchanged in a relationship are measures of who is in control, how much partners trust each other, and the level of intimacy in the relationship
Impersonal Relationship
A relationship in which one person relates to another merely because the other fills a role that satisfies an immediate need
Personal Relationship
A relationship in which people care about each other, share at least some personal information with each other, and meet at least some of each other's interpersonal needs
Voluntary Relationship
A relationship in which we freely choose the people with whom we interact
Involuntary Relationship
A relationship in which we have no choice about the other people with whom we interact
Platonic Relationship
A relationship in which partners are not sexually attracted to each other or choose not to act on their sexual attraction
Romantic Relationship
A relationship in which partners act on their mutual sexual attraction to each other
Acquaintances
People we know by name and talk to when the oppurtunity arises but with whom our interactions are limited
Friends
People with whom we have voluntary personal relationships characterized by equality, mutual involvement, recipricol liking, self-disclosure, and reciprocal social support
Intimates or Close Friends
Those few people whith whom we share a high degree of interdependence, commitment, disclosure, affection, understanding, and trust
Interdependence
A dimension of relationship that gauges the extent to which partners rely on each other to meet their needs
Breadth
A dimension of relationships that gauges the variety of conversational topics and activities that partners share, as well as the number of contexts in which they interact
Depth
A dimension of relationships that gauges how intimate the partners have become through disclosing personal and private information
Commitment
A dimension of relationships that gauges how dedicated or loyal partners are to each other
Understanding and Predictability
A dimension of relationships that gauges how well partners understand and can predict each other's behaviors
Communication Code Change
A dimension of relationships that gauges how much partners developed scripts that are exclusive to their relationship
Shared Social Networks
A dimension of relationships that gauges how much the partners' interactions and relationships with other people overlap
Social Network
The structure of your relationships
Interpersonal Trust
A dimension of relationships that gauges the extent to which partners believe that they know what to expect from the relationship, know how they are supposed to act, and know that they want to act according to expectations
Self-disclosure
Verbally sharing personal, private information, and feelings
Feedback
Providing verbal and physical responses to relationship partners and/or their messages
Johari Window
A visual framework for understanding how self-disclosure and feedback work together in a relationship
Social Penetration Theory
The premise that self-disclosure is integral to all stages of relationships, but the nature and type of self-disclosure change over time as people move from being strangers to being intimates
Turning Point
Any event or occurrence that marks a relationship's transitions from one stage to another
Predicted Outcome Value Theory
The premise that in our early conversations with potential relationship partners, we gather information to predict, whether the benefits of future interactions will outweigh the costs
Interpersonal Needs Theory
The premise that all of us have inclusion, affection, and control needs that we try to meet through our relationships, although our need for each of these varies in degree from person to person
Inclusion Need
Our desire to be in the company of other people
Affection Need
Our desire to love and be loved
Control Need
Our desire to influence the events and people around us and to be influenced by others
Social Exchange Theory
The premise that we continue to develop a relationship as long as we feel that its rewards outweigh its costs and we perceive that what we get from a particular relationship is more than we would be able to get if we invested elsewhere
Relationship Costs
Negative outcomes to a relationship, including the time and energy we spend developing a relationship and the negative experiences that may arise like hurt feelings, conflict episodes, jealousy, etc
Relationship Rewards
Positive outcomes to a relationship, including having basic relationship needs for affection, control, and inclusion met
Relational Dielects
The conflicting pulls that exists in relationships as well as within each individual in a relationship
Openness
The desire to share intimate ideas and feelings with your relationship partner
Closedness
The desire to maintain privacy
Autonomy
The desire to act and make decisions independent of your relationship partner
Connection
The desire to link your actions and decisions with those of your relationship partner
Novelty
The desire for originaliry, freshness, and uniqueness in your partner's behavior or in your relationship
Predictability
The desire for consistency, reliability, and dependability in your partner's behavior or in your relationship
Temporal Selection
The strategy of dealing with dialectal tensions by choosing one side of a dialectal opposition while ignoring the other for a period of time
Topical Segmentation
The strategy of dealing with dialectical tensions by choosing certain areas in which to satisfy one side of a dialectal tension while choosing other areas to satisfy the opposite side
Neutralization
The strategy of dealing with dialectical tensions by compromising between the desires of those in the relationship
Reframing
The strategy of dealing with dialectical tensions by changing perceptions about the level of tension
Relationship Transformation
Continuing to interact and influence a partner through a different typ of relationship after one type of relationship has ended