Managing Relationship Dynamics

When it comes to relationship advice, you don’t need to look far for what seems like “expertise.” From the fictional Carrie Bradshaw to the real-life Dr. Phil and from books like Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus to countless Cosmo magazine self-quizzes, popular culture is brimming with advice on managing and maintaining healthy relationships. Thankfully, communication scholars explore the way we manage relationships in a far more scientific way. In this section, we rely on that scholarship to explore the dynamics of relationships as they constantly change, grow, and evolve throughout our lives, specifically looking at costs and rewards, reducing uncertainty, and dialectical tensions (Knapp & Vangelisti, 2008; Solomon & Vangelisti, 2010).