Editing Interpersonal relationship (section)

=== Intimate or sexual relationships ===
{{Main|Intimate relationship}}

==== Romantic relationships ====
Romantic relationships have been defined in countless ways, by writers, philosophers, religions, scientists, and in the modern day, relationship counselors. Two popular definitions of love are Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love and Fisher's theory of love.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Acker|first1=Michele|last2=Davis|first2=Mark H. | name-list-style = vanc |title=Intimacy, Passion and Commitment in Adult Romantic Relationships: A Test of the Triangular Theory of Love |journal=Journal of Social and Personal Relationships|volume=9|issue=1|pages=21–50|doi=10.1177/0265407592091002 |year=1992|s2cid=143485002}}</ref><ref name="Gibson_2015">{{cite journal |last1=Gibson |first1=Lacey S. |title=The Science of Romantic Love: Distinct Evolutionary, Neural, and Hormonal Characteristics |journal=International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities |date=20 January 2015 |volume=7 |issue= |page=1 |doi=10.7710/2168-0620.1036 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sternberg|first=Robert J. | name-list-style = vanc |title=A triangular theory of love. |journal=Psychological Review|volume=93|issue=2|pages=119–135|doi=10.1037/0033-295x.93.2.119|year=1986 }}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=April 2025|reason=Only a single study, based upon Helen Fisher's work, is linked as supporting evidence of her popularity}} Sternberg defines love in terms of intimacy, passion, and commitment, which he claims exist in varying levels in different romantic relationships. Fisher defines love as composed of three stages: attraction, romantic love, and attachment. 

Romantic relationships can have great social and cultural variability,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rokach |first=Ami |date=2024-01-02 |title=Love Culturally: How Does Culture Affect Intimacy, Commitment & Love |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00223980.2023.2244129 |journal=The Journal of Psychology |volume=158 |issue=1 |pages=84–114 |doi=10.1080/00223980.2023.2244129 |issn=0022-3980 |pmid=37647358|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and may for example exist [[Asexuality|without any sexual intimacy]], between [[Romantic orientation|people of any gender]], or among a group of people, as in [[polyamory]] or [[Open relationship|open relationships]].

==== Romance ====
{{Main|Romance (love)}}
While many individuals recognize the single defining quality of a romantic relationship as the presence of love, it is impossible for romantic relationships to survive without the component of interpersonal communication. Within romantic relationships, love is therefore equally difficult to define. Hazan and Shaver<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hazan |first1=Cindy |last2=Shaver |first2=Phillip |title=Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. |journal=Journal of Personality and Social Psychology |date=1987 |volume=52 |issue=3 |pages=511–524 |doi=10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511 |pmid=3572722 |s2cid=2280613 }}</ref> define love, using Ainsworth's attachment theory, as comprising proximity, emotional support, self-exploration, and separation distress when parted from the loved one. Other components commonly agreed to be necessary for love are physical attraction, similarity,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vangelisti |first1=Anita L. |chapter=Interpersonal Processes in Romantic Relationships |pages=597–631 |chapter-url=https://in.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/48309_CH_18.pdf |s2cid=15423545 |editor1-last=Knapp |editor1-first=Mark L. |editor2-last=Daly |editor2-first=John A. |title=The SAGE Handbook of Interpersonal Communication |date=2011 |publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=978-1-4129-7474-5 }}</ref> reciprocity,<ref name="Gibson_2015" /> and self-disclosure.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kito M | title = Self-disclosure in romantic relationships and friendships among American and Japanese college students | journal = The Journal of Social Psychology | volume = 145 | issue = 2 | pages = 127–40 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15816343 | doi = 10.3200/SOCP.145.2.127-140 | s2cid = 25117099 }}</ref>

==== Life stages ====
Early adolescent relationships are characterized by companionship, reciprocity, and sexual experiences. As emerging adults mature, they begin to develop attachment and caring qualities in their relationships, including love, bonding, security, and support for partners. Earlier relationships also tend to be shorter and exhibit greater involvement with social networks.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal | vauthors = Meier A, Allen G | title = Romantic Relationships from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health | journal = The Sociological Quarterly | volume = 50 | issue = 2 | pages = 308–335 | date = 2009 | pmid = 25332511 | pmc = 4201847 | doi = 10.1111/j.1533-8525.2009.01142.x }}</ref> Later relationships are often marked by shrinking social networks, as the couple dedicates more time to each other than to associates.<ref name="Merkle_2004">{{Cite journal|last1=Merkle|first1=Erich R.|last2=Richardson|first2=Rhonda A. | name-list-style = vanc |date= 2004 |title=Digital Dating and Virtual Relating: Conceptualizing Computer Mediated Romantic Relationships| jstor = 585815 |journal=Family Relations|volume=49|issue=2|pages=187–192|doi=10.1111/j.1741-3729.2000.00187.x }}</ref> Later relationships also tend to exhibit higher levels of commitment.<ref name=":1" />

Most psychologists and relationship counselors predict a decline of intimacy and passion over time, replaced by a greater emphasis on companionate love (differing from adolescent companionate love in the caring, committed, and partner-focused qualities). However, couple studies have found no decline in intimacy nor in the importance of sex, intimacy, and passionate love to those in longer or later-life relationships.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Montgomery|first1=Marilyn J.|last2=Sorell|first2=Gwendolyn T. | name-list-style = vanc |date=1997|title=Differences in Love Attitudes across Family Life Stages| jstor = 585607 | journal=Family Relations|volume=46|issue=1|pages=55–61|doi=10.2307/585607}}</ref> Older people tend to be more satisfied in their relationships, but face greater barriers to entering new relationships than do younger or middle-aged people.<ref name=":3">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sassler S | title = Partnering Across the Life Course: Sex, Relationships, and Mate Selection | journal = Journal of Marriage and the Family | volume = 72 | issue = 3 | pages = 557–575 | date = June 2010 | pmid = 22822268 | pmc = 3399251 | doi = 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00718.x }}</ref> Older women in particular face social, demographic, and personal barriers; men aged 65 and older are nearly twice as likely as women to be married, and widowers are nearly three times as likely to be dating 18 months following their partner's loss compared to widows.

==== Significant other ====
The term ''significant other'' gained popularity during the 1990s, reflecting the growing acceptance of 'non-heteronormative' relationships. 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. Cohabiting relationships continue to rise, with many partners considering cohabitation to be nearly as serious as, or a substitute for, marriage.<ref name=":3" /> In particular, LGBTQ+ people often face unique challenges in establishing and maintaining intimate relationships. The strain of internalized discrimination, socially ingrained or [[homophobia]], [[transphobia]] and other forms of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, and social pressure of presenting themselves in line with socially acceptable gender norms can affect their health, [[quality of life]], satisfaction, emotions etc. inside and outside their relationships.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mohr|first1=Jonathan J.|last2=Daly|first2=Christopher A. | name-list-style = vanc |title=Sexual minority stress and changes in relationship quality in same-sex couples |journal=Journal of Social and Personal Relationships|volume=25|issue=6|pages=989–1007|doi=10.1177/0265407508100311|year=2008|s2cid=145225150}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Li|first1=Tina|last2=Dobinson|first2=Cheryl|last3=Scheim|first3=Ayden|last4=Ross|first4=Lori | name-list-style = vanc |title=Unique Issues Bisexual People Face in Intimate Relationships: A Descriptive Exploration of Lived Experience |journal=Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health|volume=17|pages=21–39|doi=10.1080/19359705.2012.723607|year=2013|s2cid=145715751}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Iantaffi A, Bockting WO | title = Views from both sides of the bridge? Gender, sexual legitimacy and transgender people's experiences of relationships | journal = Culture, Health & Sexuality | volume = 13 | issue = 3 | pages = 355–70 | date = March 2011 | pmid = 21229422 | pmc = 3076785 | doi = 10.1080/13691058.2010.537770 }}</ref> LGBTQ+ youth also lack the social support and peer connections enjoyed by hetero-normative young people.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = DeHaan S, Kuper LE, Magee JC, Bigelow L, Mustanski BS | title = The interplay between online and offline explorations of identity, relationships, and sex: a mixed-methods study with LGBT youth | journal = Journal of Sex Research | volume = 50 | issue = 5 | pages = 421–34 | date = 2013 | pmid = 22489658 | doi = 10.1080/00224499.2012.661489 | s2cid = 19195192 }}</ref> Nonetheless, comparative studies of homosexual and heterosexual couples have found few differences in relationship intensity, quality, satisfaction, or commitment.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Roisman GI, Clausell E, Holland A, Fortuna K, Elieff C | title = Adult romantic relationships as contexts of human development: a multimethod comparison of same-sex couples with opposite-sex dating, engaged, and married dyads | journal = Developmental Psychology | volume = 44 | issue = 1 | pages = 91–101 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 18194008 | doi = 10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.91 }}</ref>

==== Marital relationship ====
Although nontraditional relationships continue to rise, [[marriage]] still makes up the majority of relationships except among emerging adults.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/06/number-of-u-s-adults-cohabiting-with-a-partner-continues-to-rise-especially-among-those-50-and-older/|title=Number of U.S. adults cohabiting with a partner continues to rise, especially among those 50 and older|date=2017-04-06|work=Pew Research Center|access-date=2018-04-04|language=en-US}}</ref> It is also still considered by many to occupy a place of greater importance among family and social structures.