The main themes or trends of the interpersonal relations are: family, kinship, friendship, love, marriage, business, employment, clubs, neighborhoods, ethical values, support and solidarity.
Interpersonal relations may be regulated by law, custom, or mutual agreement, and form the basis of social groups and societies.
[4][5][6] Sternberg defines love in terms of intimacy, passion, and commitment, which he claims exist in varying levels in different romantic relationships.
As emerging adults mature, they begin to develop attachment and caring qualities in their relationships, including love, bonding, security, and support for partners.
It can be used to avoid making an assumption about the gender or relational status (e.g. married, cohabitating, civil union) of a person's intimate partner.
[17] Nonetheless, comparative studies of homosexual and heterosexual couples have found few differences in relationship intensity, quality, satisfaction, or commitment.
[22] Another early conception of parent–child relationships was that love only existed as a biological drive for survival and comfort on the child's part.
[24] The study laid the groundwork for Mary Ainsworth's attachment theory, showing how the infants used their cloth "mothers" as a secure base from which to explore.
[25][26] In a series of studies using the strange situation, a scenario in which an infant is separated from then reunited with the parent, Ainsworth defined three styles of parent-child relationship.
G. Stanley Hall popularized the "Sturm und drang", or storm and stress, model of adolescence.
[33] With the increasing average age at marriage and more youths attending college and living with parents past their teens, the concept of a new period called emerging adulthood gained popularity.
[35] Business is generally held to be distinct from personal relations, a contrasting mode which other than excursions from the norm is based on non-personal interest and rational rather than emotional concerns.
[39] This model was formulated to describe heterosexual, adult romantic relationships, but it has been applied to other kinds of interpersonal relations as well.
They also recommend some ways to cope with the experience: Less time between a breakup and a subsequent relationship predicts higher self-esteem, attachment security, emotional stability, respect for your new partner, and greater well-being.
The determinants of unfaithfulness are debated by dating service providers, feminists, academics, and science communicators.
[52] Abusive relationships within the family are very prevalent in the United States and usually involve women or children as victims.
[57] The focus of codependents tends to be on the emotional state, behavioral choices, thoughts, and beliefs of another person.
[60] Generally, narcissists show less empathy in relationships and view love pragmatically or as a game involving others' emotions.
[62] Specific types of NPD make a person incapable of having an interpersonal relationship due to their being cunning, envious, and contemptuous.
This can lead to "shopping around" or constantly comparing alternatives to maximize the benefits or rewards while minimizing costs.
The relational self is the part of an individual's self-concept that consists of the feelings and beliefs that one has regarding oneself that develops based on interactions with others.
Submission occurs in different degrees; for example, some employees may follow orders without question, whereas others might express disagreement but concede when pressed.
A firm with monopoly power may be less responsive to customer complaints because it can afford to adopt a dominant position.
In a business partnership a "silent partner" is one who adopts a submissive position in all aspects, but retains financial ownership and a share of the profits.
The breadwinner model is associated with gender role assignments where the male in a heterosexual marriage would be dominant as they are responsible for economic provision.
[69] Social exchange theory and Rusbult's investment model show that relationship satisfaction is based on three factors: rewards, costs, and comparison levels (Miller, 2012).
Minding is the "reciprocal knowing process involving the nonstop, interrelated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of persons in a relationship.
"[76] Five components of "minding" include:[77] Popular perceptions of intimate relationships are strongly influenced by movies and television.
[80] However, social media usage can also facilitate conflict, jealousy, and passive-aggressive behaviors such as spying on a partner.
[82] A growing segment of the population is engaging in purely online dating, sometimes but not always moving towards traditional face-to-face interactions.