Book contents
- On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
- Advances in Personal Relationships
- On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1 Description and Prevalence of On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
- 2 Differences from Non-Cyclical Relationships
- 3 Explaining On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
- 4 Types and Trajectories of On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
- 5 Breakups, Renewals, and In-Between
- 6 Conceptualizing (In)Stability
- 7 Practical Applications
- 8 Research Agenda
- Epilogue
- Appendix Description of Samples
- Notes
- References
- Index
1 - Description and Prevalence of On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2019
- On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
- Advances in Personal Relationships
- On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1 Description and Prevalence of On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
- 2 Differences from Non-Cyclical Relationships
- 3 Explaining On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
- 4 Types and Trajectories of On-Again/Off-Again Relationships
- 5 Breakups, Renewals, and In-Between
- 6 Conceptualizing (In)Stability
- 7 Practical Applications
- 8 Research Agenda
- Epilogue
- Appendix Description of Samples
- Notes
- References
- Index
Summary
A first step in understanding on-again/off-again relationships is to describe them. This chapter outlines the definition of these relationships and the collective of descriptive information from the research. Across a variety of college student, community, crowdsourcing, and secondary dataset samples, the research shows that a majority of individuals (approximately two-thirds) experience at least one on-off relationship. These relationships tend to go through two to three renewals on average and last just as long or longer than committed romantic relationships that do not break up and renew. Although the vast majority of breakups are initiated by one partner, about half of the renewals are characterized as mutual. Few sex or sexual orientation differences have emerged thus far, but additional research assessing differences among various age cohorts, cultures, and other demographic factors is needed. This chapter ends with a discussion of why the experience of relationship cycling is likely to continue in today’s dating landscape.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- On-Again, Off-Again RelationshipsNavigating (In)Stability in Romantic Relationships, pp. 8 - 22Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2019