On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
In a world where we have an endless number of options to swipe through, why do many of us repeatedly return to previous romantic partners? This book addresses this question by synthesizing the research on relationships that break up and renew (i.e. 'on-again, off-again' relationships) from various disciplines including communication, social psychology, family studies, and sociology. It explicates the various types and trajectories of on-again, off-again relationships, and uncovers how these relationships are different from those that do not split up and reconcile. Because on-again, off-again relationships challenge traditional notions of relationship stability and highlight the fluctuating nature of relationships, alternative conceptualizations of stability are also reviewed. This book is a theoretical and practical resource for researchers, students, and professionals interested in understanding why partners repeatedly reconcile with ex-partners.
- Unpacks the definition of relationship stability
- Offers practical applications for research on on-again, off-again relationships
- Summarizes the key findings on how such relationships differ from ones that do not break up and reconcile
- Highlights remaining questions and offers promising areas of additional research
Product details
December 2019Hardback
9781108476058
248 pages
235 × 156 × 18 mm
0.47kg
8 b/w illus. 11 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Description and prevalence of on-again/off-again relationships
- 2. Differences from non-cyclical relationships
- 3. Explaining on-again/off-again relationships
- 4. Types and trajectories of on-again/off-again relationships
- 5. Breakups, renewals, and in-between
- 6. Conceptualizing (in)stability
- 7. Practical applications
- 8. Research agenda: potential paths of future research.
