scholarly journals Relational surprise experiences as a unique form of relational maintenance

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-136
Author(s):  
Joshua R. Pederson ◽  
Leah E. LeFebvre ◽  
Darrin J. Griffin
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Relational Maintenance ◽  
Relational Satisfaction ◽  
Unique Form ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Relational Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Relational Partner

This study presents an initial exploration and conceptualization of relational surprise experiences (RSEs) as communication phenomenon involving strategic relational maintenance behaviors with potential for positive and negative outcomes. University students in the Southeastern United States (N = 203) described a RSE that occurred with a close relational partner (romantic partner, friend, or family member), explained how deception was used to achieve the surprise, and reported relational benefits and drawbacks in an online survey. Seven types of RSEs were reported including gifts, events, visits, and destinations. Responses revealed that people considered surprises as relationally beneficial with minimal drawbacks. Although over one-third of the participants described their partner’s pants perceived the surprise as a violation of relational rules. Some participants reported both benefits and drawbacks to RSEs, thereby illuminating a nuance for traditional relational maintenance typologies. This study establishes a path to explore implications of RSEs for individual and relational satisfaction, happiness, and well-being.

scholarly journals Extending the theory of resilience and relational load into polyamorous relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-170
Author(s):  
Valerie Rubinsky
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Relational Maintenance ◽  
Relational Satisfaction ◽  
Relational Identity ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Relational Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Repeated Use ◽  
Destructive Conflict ◽  
Identity Gaps

This article, framed through the theory of resilience and relational load (TRRL) investigated the effects of relational maintenance behaviors in polyamorous relationships. Specifically, it hypothesized that repeated use of prosocial maintenance behaviors would demonstrate relational investment and act as moderators for the effect of identity gaps, or feelings of discrepancy between aspects of one’s identity, on relational satisfaction and resilience. With a few exceptions, findings largely support the predictions of TRRL. Social networks, advice, positivity, openness, and shared tasks moderate the effects of personal-enacted identity gaps on relational satisfaction. Advice, social networks, and openness moderate the effects of personal-relational identity gaps on resilience. Allowing control, destructive conflict, and jealousy induction moderate the effects of personal-enacted identity gaps on relational satisfaction. Only spying of the negative maintenance behaviors moderates the effects of personal-relational identity gaps on relational satisfaction. For the most part, as predicted, positive relational maintenance behaviors appear to weaken, and antisocial maintenance behaviors strengthen, the negative association between identity gaps and relational satisfaction and resilience. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Romantic Jealousy on Facebook

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Carpenter
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Relational Maintenance ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Romantic Jealousy ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Relational Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Facebook Use ◽  
The Relationship

This article uses White and Mullen's jealousy model as a basis to derive hypotheses about the causes and effects of Facebook-related romantic jealousy. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to test these hypotheses (N = 196). General Facebook use by the user or the romantic partner were not substantially related to user jealousy. Reports of a variety of interactions between partners and potential rivals were positively related to jealousy, including the partner posting on others' walls and acquiring new Facebook friends which are unknown to the user. Additionally, those interaction were also associated with attempts to improve the relationship using Facebook relational maintenance behaviors as well as intentions to end it or have casual extra-dyadic sex (infidelity).

Relational maintenance behaviors in the sibling relationship

2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Myers ◽  
Joshua Black ◽  
Adam Bukaty ◽  
Alexa Callin ◽  
Lindsay A. Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Relational Maintenance ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Relational Maintenance Behaviors

Parent–Child Relationship Satisfaction: The Influence of Family Communication Orientations and Relational Maintenance Behaviors

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey S. Aloia
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Relational Maintenance ◽  
Parent Child Relationship ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Relational Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child ◽  
Conversation Orientation

This study examined emerging adults’ satisfaction with parent–child relationships as a function of family communication orientations and relational maintenance behaviors. Two hundred and eleven emerging adults completed measures assessing family communication orientations (conversation and conformity), relational maintenance behaviors (shared tasks, shared networks, positivity, openness, and assurances), and satisfaction with parent–child relationships. Results demonstrated that family conversation orientation and relational maintenance behaviors were positively associated with relationship satisfaction; family conformity orientation was not related to relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, findings indicated support for a model in which positivity and openness mediated the association between family conversation orientation and children’s satisfaction with parent–child relationships.

Grandchildren’s Perceptions of Grandparents’ Use of Relational Maintenance Behaviors

2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel H. Mansson
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Conflict Management ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Relational Maintenance ◽  
Positive Relationships ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Adult Grandchildren ◽  
Relational Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Pearson Correlations

The purposes of this study were to examine (a) grandchildren’s perceptions of the extent to which their grandparents’ use relational maintenance behaviors; (b) grandchildren’s perceived differences in grandparents’ use of relational maintenance behaviors as functions of grandparent sex, grandchild sex, and grandparent–grandchild (GP-GC) family lineage; and (c) the relationships between grandchildren’s perceptions of their grandparents’ use of relational maintenance behaviors and the grandchildren’s self-reported GP-GC relational characteristics. Young adult grandchildren ( N = 209) completed a questionnaire in reference to a specific GP-GC relationship. Descriptive statistics indicated that grandparents use the seven relational maintenance behaviors (i.e., advice, assurances, conflict management, networks, openness, positivity, and tasks) to different degrees. However, the multivariate analyses of variance did not indicate any significant effects for grandparent and grandchild sex or GP-GC family lineage on perceived grandparental use of relational maintenance behaviors. Conversely, Pearson correlations provided support for the hypothesized positive relationships between grandchildren’s perceptions of their grandparents’ use of relational maintenance behaviors and the grandchildren’s self-reported GP-GC relational characteristics.

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