An outline of how power, an inherent feature of social interactions, operates and affects close relationships.

The Science of Intimate Relationships represents the first interdisciplinary approach to the latest scientific findings relating to human sexual relationships. Offers an unusual degree of integration across topics, which include intimate relationships in terms of both mind and body; bonding from infancy to adulthood; selecting mates; love; communication and interaction; sex; passion; relationship dissolution; and more Summarizes the links among human nature, culture, and intimate relationships Presents and integrates the latest findings in the fields of social psychology, evolutionary psychology, human sexuality, neuroscience and biology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and clinical psychology. Authored by four leading experts in the field Instructor materials are available at www.wiley.com/go/fletcher

This book provides an in-depth and comprehensive summary of the psychology of close relationships, and showcases classic and contemporary theories, models, and empirical research that have been conducted in the field.

Given the importance of close relationships in all facets of human life, it is no surprise that research on relationship processes is multidisciplinary and divergent in methodology. Such diversity in the study of close relationships should allow for a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of relationship processes, but researchers in different fields have yet to integrate their findings into a deeper, more holistic model of close relationship functioning. This book brings together different perspectives on close relationships to explore how such relationships develop, function, and interact across a variety of contexts. Prominent scholars contribute theory and empirical research rooted in developmental, social, and cross-cultural psychology, as well as evolutionary science, individual differences, and psychophysiology. Both early and adult relationships are examined, along with parent-child relationships. This excellent resource will be well received by researchers and students in the social sciences who are interested in a broader, more collaborative approach to relationship science.

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.

This handbook brings together the latest thinking on the scientific study of closeness and intimacy from some of the most active and widely recognized relationship scholars in social and clinical psychology, communication studies, and related disciplines. Each contributing author defines their understanding of the meaning of closeness and intimacy; summarizes existing research and provides an overview of a theoretical framework; presents new ideas, applications, and previously unstated theoretical connections; and provides cross-references to other chapters to further integrate the material. The Handbook of Closeness and Intimacy will be of interest to researchers, practitioners, and students from social, clinical, and developmental psychology; family studies; counseling; and communication.

Given the importance of close relationships in all facets of human life, it is no surprise that research on relationship processes is multidisciplinary and divergent in methodology. Such diversity in the study of close relationships should allow for a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of relationship processes, but researchers in different fields have yet to integrate their findings into a deeper, more holistic model of close relationship functioning. This book brings together different perspectives on close relationships to explore how such relationships develop, function, and interact across a variety of contexts. Prominent scholars contribute theory and empirical research rooted in developmental, social, and cross-cultural psychology, as well as evolutionary science, individual differences, and psychophysiology. Both early and adult relationships are examined, along with parentchild relationships. This excellent resource will be well received by researchers and students in the social sciences who are interested in a broader, more collaborative approach to relationship science.