Perceived level of intimacy within a relationship predicts relational uncertainty

University Park, PA – 14 aug 2008– Relational Uncertainty refers to people's lack of confidence in their perceptions of relationship involvement. A new study in the journal Personal Relationships evaluated associations between intimacy and relational uncertainty and found that fluctuations in perceptions of relationships are meaningful aspects of non-marital romantic relationships.
Denise Haunani Solomon of Pennsylvania State University and Jennifer A. Theiss of Rutgers University administered a web-based survey to 315 unmarried college students about their relationship weekly for six weeks.
Researchers found that the level of intimacy people perceived within a relationship in any given week significantly predicted perceptions of relational uncertainty and interference from a partner. The data revealed the highest levels of relational uncertainty when intimacy was low.
"Our results suggest that when intimacy ebbs, doubts about the relationship emerge," the authors conclude. "Making emerging adults aware of how romantic associations inevitably pose a threat to a person's subjective well-being might help them to form more realistic romantic relationship goals."
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This study is published in the September 2008 issue of Personal Relationships. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article may contact journalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net.
Denise Haunani Solomon is affiliated with Pennsylvania State University and can be reached for questions at dhs12@psu.edu.
Personal Relationships, first published in 1994, is an international, interdisciplinary journal that promotes scholarship in the field of personal relationships using a wide variety of methodologies and throughout a broad range of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, communication studies, anthropology, family studies, child development, social work, and gerontology.