Relational Dialectics Essay

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Relational Dialectics Theory (Baxter & Montgomery, 1996): “I Need Some Space” I. Summarize the Theory In every relationship we have throughout our lives there will always be tensions each person battles within themselves and the relationship. Relational dialectics is a theory that outlines those types of struggles, tensions, and battling forces within close relationships. According to Leslie Baxter, the leading theorist behind relational dialectics, the idea of dialectics is that they are natural, normal, and even inevitable dynamics in human relationships. There is an ongoing struggle between the three most common dynamics; autonomy/connection, novelty/predictability, and openness/closedness. First, in describing autonomy/connection it is the ways that people desire for personal identity and space but also have a longing to be together and to belong to another person. Next, the novelty/predictability dynamic infers that we want for new and exciting things within our relationships yet we also wish to keep a routine and predictable relationship. Finally, the dynamic of openness/closedness describes the struggle in relationships for our desire to share different parts of our lives with others but also wanting to keep certain parts of our lives separate and private. Mattingly, Oswald, and Clark (2001) studied the importance of understanding why some people are more effective at maintaining relationships and how important that understanding is in helping people who are struggling with interpersonal issues. Their research included integrating individual differences such as relational-interdependent self-construal (RISC) and communal orientation and how this integration can benefit the relationship process. Ultimately, they were able to provide evidence to conclude the best strategies for maintaining important, satisfying relationships. Similarly, this case study
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