Year: 2006
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Communication Studies Verbal negotiation of affection in romantic relationshipsThis study examined how expressions of affection are verbally negotiated within the context of romantic relationships.Affection has long been recognized as a fundamental human need with broad significance for relationships.Moreover, affection research defines a wide variety of behaviors as communicative of affection.Given this breadth in conceptions of affection, this research assumes that both the concept and expression of affection are highly variable from person to person.Due to this variance, affection exchange requires adapting to the partner.Additionally, understanding of what counts as affection for one partner is challenging due to this breadth.This study examined participant identified expressions of affection for congruency between partners, number of affectionate behaviors reported, and type of affection behavior(s) identified.Four hypotheses and four research questions served as the basis for this study.The hypotheses examined the relationships between verbal communication about affectionate expressions, modification of affectionate expressions, understanding of partner preferences for affectionate expressions, and relationship satisfaction.This study's research questions inquired about degree of understanding between romantic partners, and the relationships of verbal communication, understanding, and modification levels to intimacy, passion, and commitment.The results of this study indicate a high level of variance between partner's accounts of recent affection expressions.Furthermore, these accounts contain multiple affection behaviors per episode as well as multiple types of affection behaviors.Moderate correlations were found between verbal communication and relationship satisfaction, verbal communication and modification, and verbal communication and intimacy, .passion, and commitment.Understanding levels between dyads were moderate.Sex differences were also noted regarding preferences for affectionate expressions as well as among these correlations.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was only finished through the efforts, support, and encouragement o f numerous people.To begin, I would like to thank my family and friends from Michigan as well as the faculty at Michigan State.Mom, Dad, Heather, Courtney, Trevor, and Drew you are truly the best support network I could hope for.Renee Tavakoli and Marybeth Case, I have had so much fun with you two.Candy Case, thank you for the cookies and friendship.Without all of your support, I would never have made it out to wonderful Montana.Thank you so much!I love you all and am truly blessed to have you all in my life.This project could not have been completed without the support and direction of my advisor, Alan Sillars.Thank you so much for all of your help.You were never too busy to answer my questions and I consider myself extremely lucky to have been given the opportunity to learn from you.It has been my pleasure taking your courses and being your advisee.I also owe a big thanks to Stephen Yoshimura.Thank you for being on my committee, and for your complete support throughout my studies at UM.I look up to you and cannot count the number o f times your encouragement has helped pull
Source: The Mathematics Enthusiast
Author: Andrea A. Richards
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2467213880