[7] A 2011 study published in the Journal of Social Psychology revealed that lingering feelings and continued attachment were the most common reasons why partners decided to get back together.
[1] Those who experienced on-and-off patterns also tended to show strong beliefs in that love overcomes all obstacles and that there is only one true partner for that person.
[3] Some research also suggests that breaking up can happen more frequently when it used as a tactic to attain what an individual wants, and thus, it creates an unhealthy cycle of conflict followed by ending the relationship and getting back together.
Researcher Kale Monk, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Missouri, discusses how these types of relationships can have higher rates of abuse, poorer communication, and lower levels of commitment.
[9] In a 2013 study analyzing relationship churning in relation to physical violence and verbal abuse, researchers found that relationships with on-and-off patterns are twice as likely as couples who stably broke up or are together to report physical violence and half as likely to report verbal abuse.
[1] This cyclical nature of relationships has proven to be a common part of emerging adulthood of many.
[3] From a developmental perspective, this is in some ways expected, as it is a part of exploration in young adulthood.