ABSTRACT
High school students and university students differed significantly on 4 of the 11 indicators of relational development. High school students generally agreed more strongly with a statement that the relationship would go on forever or lead to marriage. Developmental changes in the individual may also help account for the differences in the way adolescents and young adults develop personal relationships. Social and developmental psychologists continue to debate what taking a social perspective on development might entail. Major life changes do not occur in an isolated way, but are rather experienced and influenced by the individual's social network. Network members are often deeply involved in helping the individual making the transition from one phase to the next. The remaining significant difference in the relational indicators was found in one of the indicators of long-term commitment. The final overall difference of note is the generally stronger linkage between relational development and social network factors in the young adult sample.
