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This study identifies contradictions in married partners' accounts of their relationship and assesses the importance of the tensions at beginning, middle, and present relational turning points. Overall, autonomy-connection was the most frequently experienced contradiction, however openness-closedness was perceived as the most important tension. When looking at gender differences, results showed that internal tensions were equally important for both husbands and wives, however external tensions of inclusion-seclusion and revealment-concealment were more important for wives than husbands.
KEY CONCEPTS dialectical tensions, marital relationships, relational development, relational turning points
Previous theoretical positions on interpersonal communication have centered on a homeostatic prescription for a healthy, normal relationship (Altman, Vinsel & Brown, 1981). This healthy relationship, characterized by stability and consistency was considered, the desired state for relationships. The ideal image of stability, however, did not account for instability and detachment, states that are also characteristic of healthy relationships. To account for relational development that includes both stability and instability (among other opposing forces), the dialectic perspective emerged. This theoretical perspective allows for the understanding of a wide range of tensions within relationships.
Rawlins (1989, 1994) argues that dialectical tensions exist in relationships, and that different dialectics often characterize different kinds of relationships. In romantic relationships, Baxter (1993, 1994) and Werner and Baxter (1994) identified three main dialectic dimensions: integration-separation, stability-change, and expressionprivacy (see Table 1). Integration-separation captures the basic tension between social integration and social division. This contradiction would involve issues of interdependence and independence. Stability-change includes the opposition of continuing and discontinuing the relationships. This contradiction refers to the stability and flux within relationships. Expression-privacy identifies what is said and what is left unsaid; what is expressed and not expressed. These main dialectics are illustrated in two forms-internal and external dialectics, which will be discussed more fully in the literature review.
Although studies to date have examined particular tensions, no study has investigated how all six tensions simultaneously operate throughout relational development. Understanding how these tensions operate over time can help identify which tensions are significant throughout a relationship and how relational partners cope with significant relational changes. Thus, this study examines how internal and external tensions function throughout the development of marital relationships.
Dialectical Components
A major component of the dialectical perspective is the notion of...