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3 - Navigating Methodological Trade-Offs in Close Relationships Research

from Part I - Foundations for Studying Relationships

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2018

By
Debra Mashek ,
Minda Oriña  and
William Ickes
Edited by
Anita L. Vangelisti  and
Daniel Perlman
Anita L. Vangelisti
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
Daniel Perlman
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Greensboro
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Summary

This chapter highlights the richness and diversity of relational experiences in middle and old age. Contrary to traditional stereotypes emphasizing functional decline in the years beyond youth, most adults in the second half of life experience vibrant and meaningful relationships with kin and friends. We begin with a brief history of research on adult close relationships and proceed to a summary of key developmental milestones in middle and late adulthood that have implications for close relationships. Next, we address structural features of relationship networks as well as dynamic interaction processes. Influences on close relationships in adulthood and their effects on individuals are covered after that. The last section provides a summary of recent theoretical and methodological advances in the study of close relationships. This tour of the literature provides a compendium of recent research for reference by those interested in adult development and aging. In addition, it serves as a cue for those studying earlier life relationships whose theories, methods, and results might be enhanced by taking a long-range perspective on social and personal interactions over the entire life course.
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships , pp. 39 - 48
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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