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23 - Sexuality in Personal Relationships
- from Part VI - Interactive Processes
- Edited by Anita L. Vangelisti, University of Texas, Austin, Daniel Perlman, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
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- Book:
- The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships
- Published online:
- 11 June 2018
- Print publication:
- 21 June 2018, pp 311-326
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Summary
This chapter on marital satisfaction begins with the historical origins of such research. The first major section of the chapter reviews research on marital satisfaction, starting with five key features of this research (e.g., using self-report measures, largely non-theoretical) and then provides findings in multiple domains: behavior, cognition, and emotion. A middle section distinguishes two approaches: (a) an interpersonal approach that typically looks at patterns of interaction (e.g., communication, companionship, conflict), and tends to use terms such as adjustment and (b) an intrapersonal approach that focuses on individual judgments, namely subjective evaluations of relationships, and tends to use such terms as satisfaction and happiness. At the operational level, much of the past research has used measures lacking precision developed on the basis of classical test theory. Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis is now being used to develop relationship satisfaction measures. Instead of seeing marital satisfaction as a bipolar, unidimensional construct with a positive and negative end on the same continuum, the authors argue the field will advance by using a two-dimensional conceptualization and measurement approach: the experience of positive and negative affect are substantively distinct yet related phenomena, best assessed separately. The chapter concludes with seven issues needing to be resolved.
Contributors
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- By Graham Allan, Donna M. Allen, Irwin Altman, Arthur Aron, Donald H. Baucom, Steven R. H. Beach, Ellen Berscheid, Rosemary Blieszner, Jeffrey Boase, Tyfany M. J. Boettcher, Barbara B. Brown, Abraham P. Buunk, Lorne Campbell, Daniel J. Canary, Rodney Cate, John P. Caughlin, Mahnaz Charania, Jennie Y. Chen, F. Scott Christopher, Jennifer A. Clarke, Marilyn Coleman, W. Andrew Collins, Michael K. Coolsen, Nathan R. Cottle, Carolyn E. Cutrona, Marianne Dainton, Valerian J. Derlega, Lisa M. Diamond, Pieternel Dijkstra, Steve Duck, Pearl A. Dykstra, Norman B. Epstein, Beverley Fehr, Frank D. Fincham, Helen E. Fisher, Julie Fitness, Garth J. O. Fletcher, Myron D. Friesen, Lawrence Ganong, Kelli A. Gardner, Jenny de Jong Gierveld, Robin Goodwin, Christine R. Gray, Kathryn Greene, David W. Harris, Willard W. Hartup, John H. Harvey, Kathi L. Heffner, Ted L. Huston, William J. Ickes, Emily A. Impett, Michael P. Johnson, Deborah J. Jones, Deborah A. Kashy, Janice K. Kiecolt‐Glaser, Jeffrey L. Kirchner, Brighid M. Kleinman, Galena H. Kline, Mark L. Knapp, Ascan Koerner, Jean‐Philippe Laurenceau, Kim Leon, Timothy J. Loving, Stephanie D. Madsen, Howard J. Markman, Alicia Mathews, Mario Mikulincer, Patricia Noller, Nickola C. Overall, Letitia Anne Peplau, Daniel Perlman, Sally Planalp, Urmila Pillay, Nicole D. Pleasant, Caryl E. Rusbult, Barbara R. Sarason, Irwin G. Sarason, Phillip R. Shaver, Alan L. Sillars, Jeffry A. Simpson, Susan Sprecher, Susan Stanton, Greg Strong, Catherine A. Surra, Anita L. Vangelisti, C. Arthur VanLear, Theo van Tilburg, Barry Wellman, Amy Wenzel, Carol M. Werner, Adam R. West, Sarah W. Whitton, Heike A. Winterheld
- Edited by Anita L. Vangelisti, University of Texas, Austin, Daniel Perlman, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
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- Book:
- The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships
- Published online:
- 05 June 2012
- Print publication:
- 05 June 2006, pp xvii-xxii
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