This essay extends the relational turbulence model as a framework for understanding communication in romantic relationships. Following the relational turbulence model, relational turbulence theory identifies relational uncertainty and interdependence as parameters that shape subjective experiences, but the theory clarifies the theoretical processes underlying their distinctive effects. In addition, relational turbulence theory articulates causal processes linking cognitive appraisals and emotions to communication. Relational turbulence theory also describes how episodes characterized by biased appraisals, intense emotions, and volatile communication coalesce into global evaluations of relationships as turbulent. In turn, the theory addresses the effect of relational turbulence on personal, relational, and social outcomes. Finally, the theory explains how communication can contribute to the development of both turbulence and resilience in romantic relationships.
The development of romantic relationships is a complex process by which previously autonomous individuals come to perceive themselves as a social unit. We propose that the transition from casual dating to serious involvement coincides with relational turbulence in courtship, and we identify relational uncertainty and interference from partners as mechanisms that may explain why this turmoil occurs. We test our model by examining people’s appraisals of irritating circumstances as a marker of relational turbulence. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which individuals evaluated the degree of severity and relationship threat of potential irritations that had occurred recently in their dating relationship. Although the effect size was small, results consistent with our predictions indicated that negative appraisals were curvilinearly associated with intimacy. Also as anticipated, we documented positive associations between negative appraisals and both relational uncertainty and interference from partners. Contrary to our expectations, however, neither relational uncertainty nor interference from partners mediated the curvilinear trajectory between negative appraisals and intimacy. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding relational turbulence in dating relationships.
The authors examined the impact of intimacy, relational uncertainty, and a partner’s interference on the directness of communication about relational irritations. The authors hypothesized that directness has (a) a positive association with the perceived negativity of irritations, intimacy, and self uncertainty; (b) a negative association with relationship uncertainty; (c) a negative association with partner uncertainty that is mediated by relationship uncertainty; and (d) a positive association with a partner’s interference that is mediated by the perceived negativity of irritations. The authors conducted a longitudinal Web-based survey in which individuals in romantic associations reported on qualities of their relationships once per week for 6 weeks. A structural equation model of data from the first week was consistent with the authors’ hypotheses. Longitudinal analyses of the full data set using hierarchical linear modeling provided mixed support for the authors’ predictions. The article discusses the implications of the findings for understanding both communicative directness and turbulence within developing dating relationships.
The transition from casual to serious involvement appears to constitute a unique period of relating within courtships. We suggest that the moderate levels of intimacy characterizing this phase correspond with heightened uncertainty about the relationship and greater interference from partners in every-day activities. In a test of these predictions, individuals in dating relationships (N= 341) completed self-report measures of intimacy, relationship uncertainty, partner's influence in the respondent's everyday activities, and partner's interference in those activities. Contrary to our expectations, we observed a negative linear association between intimacy and relationship uncertainty. Although the effect size was small, results indicated support for a curvilinear association between the experience of interference from partners and intimacy; as predicted, interference was greatest at moderate levels of intimacy. In addition, results revealed an ordinal interaction between intimacy and a partner's influence in everyday activities, such that the partner's influence was more positively associated with interference at low levels of intimacy than at high levels of intimacy. The discussion highlights the implications of these findings for conceptualizing the development of romantic relationships.
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