ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS

Does the Length of a Relationship Affect Ro antic Le!els in Dating Relationships" Antonio #anio$%a&is P'ofesso' Reesh a Ha(i Ps)cholog) of the #a il) PS*C+,-. Ap'il /0 1-1-

ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS In the 2o'l% of 'elationships an%

a''iage0 the a't of &eeping a co$ple togethe' is p'o!ing

to 3e 3ig 3$c&s 4P'o$%foot0 1-1-56 7ith the e''atic fl$ct$ation in %i!o'ce 'ates 4Cent'al Regist') of Di!o'ce P'ocee%ings0 1--/50 an) p'ofessional se'!ices an% social s$ppo't net2o'&s ha!e

3een on the 'ise 4Di!o'ce S$ppo't0 1-1-56 The notion of cli 3ing %i!o'ce 'ates in Cana%a 4%epa't ent of 8$stice0 199:5 is a )th0 onl) 3eca$se a''iage 'ates a'e %eclining0 3$t fin%ings a&ing

of this nat$'e help to shape an% infl$ence the st'ength of 'elationships6 The 3$siness of

one) on 'elationships is a !e') l$c'ati!e fiel% fo' p'ofessional se'!ices an% the a't of &eeping a co$ple togethe' 2hen it co es to a) p'o!e to 3e p'iceless6 A'g$a3l)0 co$ples a'e hea%e% into the ;$n&no2n< atte's of the hea't0 3$t ho2 %o )o$ &eep the ;in lo!e<" It a) p'o!e to 3e

the ne=t e!ol$tion of Co$ples< Ps)cholog)0 in &eeping Ro antic Le!els 4RLs5 health) fo' co$ples to 3e a3le to o!e'co e life<s st'esso's6 Neff an% >a'ne) 41--?5 loo&e% at t2o %istinct a'eas of 'esea'ch co 3ining the 'es$lts of t2o longit$%inal st$%ies that e=a ine% ne2l)2e% co$ples on 415 glo3al an% specific pe'ceptions< of thei' pa'tne' as 2ell as the s$ppo'ti!e 3eha!io$'0 2hich 2as atte pte% to 'eplicate st$%)1<s fin%ings in a la'ge' an% eas$'e%@ 415 the secon% st$%)

o'e in%epen%ent sa ple of co$ples an%

to e=a ine the %eg'ee of acc$'ac) in the spo$se<s specific pe'ceptions 4 entione% in st$%)156 Neff an% >a'ne) 41--?5 gathe'e% %ata that sho2e% negati!e co''elations e=isting 3et2een positi!e pe'ceptions an% lo2 s$ppo'ti!e 3eha!io'0 st$%) 1A1 'especti!el) [ r(81)= -.61, p< .001 for wives, r(81)= -.49, p< .001 for husbands/ r(168)= -.28, p< .001 for wives, r(168)= -.19, p< .001 for husbands . These eas$'es in spo$se app'o!al an% 'o antic gest$'es0 often seen in aintaine%

s$ppo'ti!e an% accepting 3eha!io$'0 a'e high as a ne2l)2e% co$ple@ 3$t can also 3e an% a$g ente% th'o$gh s$ppo't f'o o$tsi%e infl$ences 4Di!o'ce S$ppo't0 1-1-56 The

ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS info' ation p'o!i%e% he'e is not the enti'e p$BBle of ho2 to one piece in the p$BBle6 Th$s the p'ocess of C$antif)ing te' s s$ch as love an% romance 3eco es !ital to the notion of &eeping RLs at thei' highest possi3le state6 Ace!e%o an% A'on 41--95 e=a ine% the social no' s an% 3eliefs that ;time kills romantic love<0 c$''ent ta=ono ies0 pe'specti!es0 'esea'ch0 an% p'esente% ne2 anal)ses on e=isting %ata6 The st$%) 4Ace!e%o an% A'on0 1--95 $se% a sa ple pop$lation of ?-i%%leDclass a''iages of 1- )ea's o' o'e0 %isting$ishing aintain health) RLs0 3$t instea%

3et2een ;int'insicEe=t'insic<0 ;!ital<0 an% ;total< co$ples an% fo$n% that 2o en in 'elationships of ,, )ea's o' o'e 'epo'te% high le!els of passionate lo!e F M G 169/ on a ? point scaleH %esc'i3e%

as 2il%l) e otional state0 ten%e' an% se=$al feeling0 elation an% pain0 an=iet) an% 'elief6 The etaDanal)sis 4Ace!e%o an% A'on0 1--95 loo&e% at o!e' 1? st$%ies on 'o antic lo!e 2ith n=+.:? an% sho2e% that 'o antic lo!e 2as st'ongl) co''elate% 2ith 'elationship satisfaction in sho'tElongDte' 'elationships6 F'= 6??E 6?.H 'especti!el)6

This f$'the' sho2s the atte pt to C$antif) the el$si!e )et po2e'f$l lin& 3et2een t2o people0 2hich is 'o ance6 To confine 'o ance as a static e otion is not the o3(ect of this a'g$ ent0 3$t instea% to sho2 that RLs a'e a%e $p of an) pa'ts 4the s$ is g'eate' than the

pa'ts5 an% each a'e eC$all) !al$a3le@ ho2e!e' the con!e'gence of the

is the en% 'es$lt that

sho$l% 3e so$ght6 One c'eati!e pe'specti!e that is p'esente% in this a'ticle 4Ace!e%o an% A'on0 1--95 is the notion that t'aining co$l% pe'haps 3e offe'e% fo' coping 2ith intense feelings 4one feels in a ne2 'elationship5 an% the p'oce%$'esE echanis s necessa') to p'o!i%e ne2l)2e%s t'aining on ;e otional o!e'loa%< an% coping 2ith st'ains of a''iage6

ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS To f$'the' $n%e'stan% the pa'ts 2hich RLs a'e %ata f'o a%e $p of0 Rois an et al6 41--/5 sha'e%

a st$%) that sho2s clea' in%ications that RLs a'e not gen%e' 3iase% o' ha!e se=$al ale0 les3ian0 an%

o'ientation 3ias6 The a'ticle 4Rois an et al60 1--/5 sho2s sa ples of ga) hete'ose=$al pai's in 3oth nonEco la3o'ato') o3se'!ations0 an%

itte% 'elationships pa'ticipate in self 'epo'ts0 pa'tne' 'epo'ts0

eas$'es of ph)siological 'eacti!it) %$'ing %)a%ic inte'action an%

$se% ANOVA to anal)Be the %ata6 It sho2e% that se=$al o'ientation an% gen%e' %o not ha!e significant %iffe'ences in 'o antic lo!e0 3$t sho2e% that sho2e% a''ie% co$ples 4of ten )ea's o' o'e5

o'e o3se'!a3le C$alit) in thei' 'elationship than %ating co$ples FF4+0 1?/5 G 1-6.0 p= 6 $ch %ata an% an) %iffe'ent pe'specti!es

--1H6 Altho$gh this a'ticle 4Rois an et al60 1--/5 has on 'esea'ching 'o antic lo!e the

ost 'ele!ant 2as sho2ing that a3sol$tel) no co''elation e=ists

sho2ing that gen%e' o' se=$al o'ientation can infl$ence 'o antic lo!e@ f$'the' o'e it also C$antifie% an% eas$'e% %iffe'ent e=pe'iences ac'oss a sa ple g'o$p an% stan%a'%iBe% sco'es

th'o$gh scientific p'ocesses6 L)n%on et al6 41--/5 sho20 th'o$gh a se!enDst$%) alte'nati!es 4th'o$gh the $se of confe%e'ates0 etaDanal)sis0 of ho2 att'acti!e

ental si $lations0 an% !i't$al 'ealit)5 affect a

pa'tne' an% ho2 the att'acti!e alte'nati!e0 if at all0 is p$'s$e%6 Of the se!en 4L)n%on et al60 1--/5 st$%), has the alte'nati!e fo' ost 'ele!ancies to this pape' an% i ics the ental si $lation of an att'acti!e

ales in a la3o'ato') e=pe'i ent an% 2as a3le to C$antif) the %ata6 A 1I1

ANOVA 2as pe'fo' e% on pa'tne' t'ansg'ession F F(10 ?/5 G 16.10 p= J6--1H6 This a'ticle s$ggests that the'e a'e o$tsi%e an% 3iological infl$ences 4nat$'e !s6 n$'t$'e5 at 2o'& in the h$ an ps)che affecting RLs@ o'e so0 L)n%on et al6 41--/5 'eco'%e% an% C$antifie% the point at 2hich a

spo$se<s 4eithe' e=te'nal infl$ence o' 3iological5 t$'ns a che ical 'esponse into action to

ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS (eopa'%iBe a 'elationship6 This helps s$ppo't that f$'the' st$%ies can help to g$i%e an) anal)sis 2hich 2ill 'esea'ch the pa'ts 2hich c'eate RLs6 In the 2o'l% of 'elationships an% a''iage0 the a't of &eeping a co$ple togethe' is etaD

3eco ing an e!ol$tiona') step in $n%e'stan%ing the 'o antic inte'action 2hich e=ists 3et2een a co$ple6 Pe'ceptions of ;o$tDofDcont'ol< %i!o'ce 'ates in Cana%a a'e e'el) a )th0 3$t $lti atel)

fin%ings of this nat$'e help to %isto't an% infl$ence the st'ength of 'elationships6 7ith the e''atic fl$ct$ation in e=te'nal an% 3iological infl$ences0 an) p'ofessional se'!ices an% social s$ppo't

net2o'&s ha!e 3een c'eate% to help a co$ple ;cope< th'o$gh t$ $lt$o$s ti es6 The 3$siness of a&ing one) on 'elationships is a !e') l$c'ati!e fiel% fo' p'ofessional se'!ices0 3$t the a't of a) p'o!e to 3e p'iceless6 A'g$a3l)0 co$ples a'e hea%e% into the atte's of the hea't0 3$t ho2 %o )o$ &eep the ;in lo!e<" It a)

&eeping a co$ple togethe'

;$n&no2n< 2hen it co es to

p'o!e to 3e the ne=t e!ol$tion of Co$ples< Ps)cholog)0 in &eeping Ro antic Le!els 4RLs5 health) fo' co$ples to 3e a3le to o!e'co e life<s st'esso's6

ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS References Ace!e%o0 K6 P60 A'on0 A6 41--95 Does a longDte' General Psychology; 130 1@ p?9D.?6 Di!o'ceRate6co 6 Divorce rates in ana!a" Ret'ie!e%L Ma'ch 1?0 1-1-0 f'o L httpLEE2226%i!o'ce'ate6o'gE%i!o'ceD'atesDinDcana%a6ht l Di!o'ceS$ppo't6co 6 #aking care of yo$rself !$ring !ivorce" Ret'ie!e%L Ma'ch 1?0 1-1-0 f'o L httpLEE2226%i!o'ces$ppo't6co E%i!o'ceETa&ingDCa'eDofD*o$'selfDD$'ingDDi!o'ceD 19-16ht l D$chesne0 D60 Na$lt0 #60 Gil o$'0 H60 7il&ins0 R6 4199956 Vital statistics co pen%i$ 199.6 %tatistics ana!a& 'ealth %tatistics Division" atalog$e no" ()*+1)*,P-6 Ret'ie!e%L 'elationship &ill 'o antic lo!e" Review of

Ma'ch 1?0 1-1-0 f'o L httpLEE2226statcan6gc6caEp$3E/+D11+D=E/+D11+D=199.---Deng6p%f L)%on0 86 E60 MenBiesDTo an0 D60 K$'ton0 >60 Kell0 C6 41--/5 IfDthen contingencies an% the %iffe'ential effects of the a!aila3ilit) of an att'acti!e alte'nati!e on 'elationship aintenance fo' p?-D.?6 Neff0 L6 A60 >a'ne)0 K6 R6 41--?5 To &no2 )o$ is to lo!e )o$L the i plications of glo3al a%o'ation an% specific acc$'ac) fo' %ocial Psychology; ((0 ,@ p+/-D+9:6 P'o$%foot0 S60 Divorce rate in ana!a lower than previo$sly tho$ght6 Can2est Ne2s Se'!ice6 Ret'ie!e%L Ma'ch 1?0 1-1-0 f'o L httpLEE2226cana%a6co ElifeEDi!o'ceM'ateMCana%aMlo2e'MthanMp'e!io$sl)Mtho$ghtE11+ ?.11Esto')6ht l a'ital 'elationships" .o$rnal of Personality an! en an% 2o en" .o$rnal of Personality an! %ocial Psychology; /00 1@

ROMANTIC LEVELS IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS Rois an0 G6 I60 Cla$sell0 E60 Hollan%0 A60 #o't$na0 >60 Elieff0 C6 41--/1 A%$lt 'o antic 'elationships as conte=ts of h$ an %e!elop entL a se= co$ples 2ith oppositeDse= %ating0 engage%0 an% Psychology; ))0 1@ p91D1-16 $lti%i etho% co pa'ison of sa eD a''ie% %)a%s" Developmental