4th Edition
Intimate Relationships Issues, Theories, and Research
The fourth edition of this bestselling textbook offers a comprehensive examination of intimate relationships. It covers classic and contemporary scholarship of the psychology of relationships, presenting the material in an engaging and rigorous manner.
The book covers a range of themes to explore the multifaceted dimensions of relationships, from the evolution of attraction and love to the intricacies of attachment and complexities of jealousy. Written in a warm and personal voice, each chapter features real-life stories to stir readers’ engagement, while critical thinking prompts encourage reflection on both the presented issues and theories. Adopting an interdisciplinary perspective firmly anchored in research, this new edition stays abreast of the evolving landscape of relationship science. It has been carefully updated to present the latest findings and includes new material on intriguing subjects such as sexual pathways, online dating, the far-reaching impact of COVID-19, open science, and the diverse fabric of 21st century relationships - including interracial and LGBTQ+ dynamics, cohabitation, and singlehood.
Written for students and any reader keen on understanding the intricacies of romantic relationships, Intimate Relationships is ideal reading for undergraduate students of psychology, sociology, and related disciplines, or as an enriching supplement for graduate studies.
1. Strangers, Friends, and Lovers: Why Is Life So Complicated?
The Need to Belong
Distinct Relationship Needs
The Inevitability of Social Relationships 4 Intimate Relationships Yesterday and Today
Summary
2. Methods to Study Relationships
The Science of Intimate Relationships
Methodology: Data Collection and Analysis
Interpreting Experimental Data: Dyadic Effects
Collecting Couple Data
Open Science Framework: Increasing Transparency in Research
Summary
3. Liking and Attraction
Psychological Attraction: Theories
Psychological Attraction: Phenomena
Physical Attractiveness and Dating Choices
Standards of Attractiveness: Bodies and Faces
Evolution and Attractiveness
The Physical Attractiveness Stereotype: Beauty Is as Beauty Does
Is Beauty Solely in the Eye of the Beholder?
Summary
4. Self-Presentation and Self-Disclosure
Self-Presentation
Models of Self-Disclosure
Context Influences on Self-Disclosure
Summary
5. Fairness and Equity
The Nature of Resources Exchanged
Determining What Is Fair: Equity Theory
Evaluating Relationship Outcomes: Comparison Levels
The Thibaut and Kelley Model
Close Relationships as Communal Relationships
Summary
6. Love and Emotion
Liking and Loving: A Conceptual Distinction
The Prototype of Love
Causal Theories of Love
Type Theories of Love
Individual Differences in Love
Love Over Time: Does It Get Better or Worse?
Beyond Love: A Quick Look at Guilt
Summary
7. Attachment
Patterns of Attachment in Infancy
Adult Attachment
Consequences of Adult Attachment Styles
Summary
8. Sexuality
Attitudes About Sex: An Evolving Story
Sexual Behavior
Sexual Satisfaction
Sexual Communication
Sexual Pathways
Same-Sex Attraction
Summary
9. Communication: Let's Talk
Sex Differences in Communication
Men and Women: Why the Trouble Connecting?
Communication Processes and Strategies in Intimate Relationships
Technology and Communication: Smartphones and Online Interactions
The Special Case of Long-Distance Relationships
Summary
10. Infidelity and Jealousy
Infidelity and Jealousy Across Time and Cultures
Defining Jealousy
Sources of Jealousy: The Jealous Person, the Partner, and the Rival
Reactions to Jealousy
Gender Differences in Perceptions of Threat
Gender and Reactions to Jealousy: “Every Breath You Take . . . I’ll Be Watching You”
Coping with the Green-Eyed Monster
An Attachment Approach to Jealous
Summary
11. Relationship Violence and Abuse
Relationship Violence: Its Definition and Measurement
Consequences of Relationship Violence
Causes of Relationship Violence
Sexual Violence
Summary
12. Conflict: Causes and Consequences
Conflict Between Lovers and Strangers
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Conflict in Intimate Relationships
Sources of Conflict: “I Said . . . You Said . . .”
Reactions to Conflict
Transforming Relationships—From Conflict to Growth
Conflict in Context
Dissolution of Intimate Relationships: The End of Romance
Alternatives to Dissolution
Summary
13. Making it Last: How to Maintain Intimate Relationships
The Evolution of Marriage
Relationship Management in Daily Life
Social Comparison and Relationship Maintenance
Relationship Maintenance Challenges for Marginalized Groups
Summary
14. Intimate Relationships in the 21st Century
Dating and Mating in the Internet Age
Marriage in the 21st Century
Being and Remaining Single
Summary
Biography
Ralph Erber is professor of psychology at DePaul University. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. His work has been published in a number of places, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and the European Journal of Social Psychology. He is also the author and editor of several books, including Understanding Genocide: The Social Psychology of the Holocaust and Social Psychology: A Story-telling Approach (with Len Newman).
Maureen Wang Erber is professor of psychology at Northeastern Illinois University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensborough. Her work has been published in a number of places, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. Her research interests include trust and conflict in intimate relationships and mate-choice copying.
This is a highly regarded text that covers complicated research in an accessible and thoughtful way. The order of the chapters is intuitive, building topically and conceptually as the book progresses. The structure of the book is designed with student learning in mind. The quotes at the beginning are a nice introduction bookended with summaries and key terms at the end to help recap the contents – Leah Bryant, Associate Professor, De Paul University, USA.
