ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes our conceptual framework and supporting research regarding the view that in a close relationship the other is, to some extent, part of the self-that closeness is including other in the self. Specifically, we consider five questions: (a) What is meant by including another person in the self? (b) What is the evidence that people do include close others in the self? (c) How is including another person in the self different from being familiar with or similar to the other person? (d) Why is it appropriate to consider including another person in the self to be closeness? And (e) what are some implications of this view?
