ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the development and psychometrics of the Oral History Coding System and include descriptions of the dimensions that are coded. It discusses the coding system in the context of nonverbal communication. The Oral History Interview and its coding system evaluate the marital cognitions and perceptual biases that spouses hold about each other and their relationship. The semi structured interview invites couples to tell the story of their relationships and to share their philosophy of marriage. The goal of the interview is to get a clear picture of the marital cognitions each spouse has of his or her partner and their marriage. The Oral History Coding System assesses how each spouse sees his or her partner and the marriage, based on marital cognitions. It offers a robust measure of couples' marital cognitions using a synergistic combination of verbal and nonverbal behaviors. The Oral History Coding System is a powerful tool for evaluating the health and stability of intimate relationships.
