ABSTRACT
Whether asking someone out on a first date, picking the name of a first child, or deciding how to spend the first day in an empty nest, communication figures prominently in committed romantic relationships. It is a primary means by which romantic partners build and maintain a life together, navigate challenges and opportunities, and adapt to changing circumstances. However, the act of communicating clearly, effectively, and in a manner that successfully addresses partners’ wants, needs, and concerns is a challenge unto itself. Communication can create improvement, exacerbation, stability, or turbulence; moreover, the outcomes of the same communication behavior can vary over the short and long term. This chapter proposes that viewing communication behaviors and patterns in terms of their functions, that is, what they do and the outcomes they create, allows for understanding the unique and synergistic role of communication in committed romantic relationships.
