Editing Intimate relationship (section)

== Intimacy ==
Intimacy is the feeling of being in close, personal association with another person.<ref name="Mashek">{{cite book|last1=Mashek|first1=D.J.|last2=Aron|first2=A.|title=Handbook of Closeness and Intimacy|isbn =978-1-135-63240-3|publisher=[[Psychology Press]]|year=2004|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=viZ5AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 1]–6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=viZ5AgAAQBAJ}}</ref> [[Emotional intimacy]] is built through [[self-disclosure]] and responsive communication between people,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Forest |first1=Amanda L. |last2=Sigler |first2=Kirby N. |last3=Bain |first3=Kaitlin S. |last4=O'Brien |first4=Emily R. |last5=Wood |first5=Joanne V. |date=2023-08-01 |title=Self-esteem's impacts on intimacy-building: Pathways through self-disclosure and responsiveness |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X23000416 |journal=Current Opinion in Psychology |volume=52 |pages=101596 |doi=10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101596 |pmid=37348388 |s2cid=258928012 |issn=2352-250X}}</ref> and is critical for healthy psychological development and mental health.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gaia |first=A. Celeste |date=2002 |title=Understanding Emotional Intimacy: A Review of Conceptualization, Assessment and the Role of Gender |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41887101 |journal=International Social Science Review |volume=77 |issue=3/4 |pages=151–170 |jstor=41887101 |issn=0278-2308}}</ref> Emotional intimacy produces feelings of reciprocal trust, validation, vulnerability, and closeness between individuals.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Timmerman |first=Gayle M. |date=1991 |title=A concept analysis of intimacy |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/01612849109058207 |journal=Issues in Mental Health Nursing |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=19–30 |doi=10.3109/01612849109058207 |pmid=1988378 |issn=0161-2840|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

[[Physical intimacy]]—including [[holding hands]], [[hug]]ging, [[kiss]]ing, and [[Sexual intercourse|sex]]—promotes connection between people and is often a key component of romantic intimate relationships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Power of Touch: Physical Affection is Important in Relationships, but Some People Need More Than Others – Kinsey Institute Research & Institute News |url=https://blogs.iu.edu/kinseyinstitute/2020/05/28/the-power-of-touch-physical-affection-is-important-in-relationships-but-some-people-need-more-than-others/ |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=blogs.iu.edu}}</ref> Physical touch is correlated with relationship satisfaction<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gallace |first1=Alberto |last2=Spence |first2=Charles |date=2010-02-01 |title=The science of interpersonal touch: An overview |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763408001723 |journal=Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews |series=Touch, Temperature, Pain/Itch and Pleasure |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=246–259 |doi=10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.10.004 |pmid=18992276 |s2cid=1092688 |issn=0149-7634|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and feelings of [[love]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sorokowska |first1=Agnieszka |last2=Kowal |first2=Marta |last3=Saluja |first3=Supreet |last4=Aavik |first4=Toivo |last5=Alm |first5=Charlotte |last6=Anjum |first6=Afifa |last7=Asao |first7=Kelly |last8=Batres |first8=Carlota |last9=Bensafia |first9=Aicha |last10=Bizumic |first10=Boris |last11=Boussena |first11=Mahmoud |last12=Buss |first12=David M. |last13=Butovskaya |first13=Marina |last14=Can |first14=Seda |last15=Carrier |first15=Antonin |date=2023 |title=Love and affectionate touch toward romantic partners all over the world |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=13 |issue=1 |page=5497 |doi=10.1038/s41598-023-31502-1 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=10073073 |pmid=37015974|bibcode=2023NatSR..13.5497S }}</ref> While many intimate relationships include a physical or sexual component, the potential to be sexual is not a requirement for the relationship to be intimate. For example, a [[queerplatonic relationship]] is a non-romantic intimate relationship that involves commitment and closeness beyond that of a friendship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Queerplatonic Relationships: A New Term for an Old Custom {{!}} Psychology Today |url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bound-together/202109/queerplatonic-relationships-new-term-old-custom |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=www.psychologytoday.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Among scholars, the definition of an intimate relationship is diverse and evolving. Some reserve the term for romantic relationships,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Rowland |url=https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/intimate-relationships-miller/M9781260804263.html |title=Intimate Relationships |publisher=McGraw Hill |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-260-80426-3 |edition=9th |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Bradbury-2019"/> whereas other scholars include [[friendship]] and [[familial relationship]]s.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=McCarthy |first1=Jane Ribbens |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hooL2-lwfvwC |title=Understanding Family Meanings: A Reflective Text |last2=Doolittle |first2=Megan |last3=Sclater |first3=Shelley Day |date=2012 |publisher=Policy Press |isbn=978-1-4473-0112-7 |pages=267–268 |language=en}}</ref> In general, an intimate relationship is an interpersonal relationship in which physically or emotionally intimate experiences occur repeatedly over time.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gaia |first=A. Celeste |date=2002 |title=Understanding Emotional Intimacy: A Review of Conceptualization, Assessment and the Role of Gender |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41887101 |journal=International Social Science Review |volume=77 |issue=3/4 |pages=151–170 |jstor=41887101 |issn=0278-2308}}</ref>