ABSTRACT
Over the past two decades, we have conducted a program of research that explores the means by which close partners manage to sustain healthy, long-term relationships. Our model of persistence and couple well-being employs the principles and constructs of interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978; Thibaut & Kelley, 1959). This chapter describes the main propositions and findings from our ongoing research program. First, we review the interdependence theoretic principles that underlie our work, describing interdependence dilemmas, discussing partners’ adaptations to such dilemmas, and outlining the manner in which partners’ adaptations become embodied in personal dispositions, relationship-specific motives, and normative prescriptions. Second, we discuss three primary bases for dependence on a relationship, introduce the concept of commitment, and describe the role of commitment in promoting persistence and maintenance behaviors. Third, we review research regarding each of several relationship maintenance phenomena, including both (a) behavioral maintenance mechanisms (accommodative behavior, willingness to sacrifice, and forgiveness of betrayal), and (b) cognitive maintenance mechanisms (cognitive interdependence, positive illusion, and the derogation of tempting alternatives). Fourth, we describe recent work regarding mutual cyclical growth, discussing the manner in which one person’s dependence, commitment, and enactment of maintenance behaviors affects the partner’s trust and willingness to become increasingly dependent on the relationship. We conclude with a discussion of the
benefits of an interdependence theoretic analysis of behavior in ongoing close relationships.
