ABSTRACT
Simply because all people are born into families and kin networks and actively seek (and eventually establish) long-term partnerships with friends, lovers, coworkers, and other individuals does not necessarily mean that those relationships will function smoothly or last forever. To the contrary, the process of relationship development is often “bumpy” and tension can easily arise between partners in even the most affectionate and committed of relationships. In this chapter we examine the topic of confl ict, including the events that occur during confl ict and how partners manage
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confl ict. We also consider relationship loss-from the sequence of events involved in relationship dissolution to the ways in which people commonly respond to the demise of a friendship, marriage, or other intimate relationship.
