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Book ReviewsIntimate Relationships |
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Book: Intimate Relationships
Written by: Sharon Stephens Brehm Rowland Miller Daniel Perlman Susan Miller Campbell |
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5
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Intuitive Relational Patterns Made Explicit
Rating:
5 / 5
According to observations by psychologists, our well being seems to depend to a great degree in how well we satisfy the need to belong in close relationships. Intimate Relationships differ from casual relationships in at least six specific ways: shared knowledge regarding each partner's life, reciprocal caring, interdependence, mutuality in each partner's sense of identity, the trust that a partner will treat one honorably and lastly, in a commitment to the goal that the relationship will extend indefinitely.
This book by professors Sharon Brehm, Rowland Miller, Daniel Perlman and Susan Campbell is intended for middle level undergraduate students, yet should appeal to all who have an interest in the scientific study of this highly relevant subject.
Since "Intimate Relationships" is a scientific study, it functions very well as a descriptive text, covering concepts such as attraction, expectation, communication, friendship across the life cycle, love, sexuality, the stresses and strains on relationships, power issues, conflict, loss and loneliness.
Yet science can not adequately describe or predict the effect of meanings and values on the infinite range of interpersonal situation, so the book falls short of being prescriptive to any significant degree. Helpful guidelines on bolstering existing relationships are provided, however, and you will most likely see your own life's experience, and resulting thoughts on these subjects, mirrored by the book's contents.
In closing, as the authors observe: "Relationships are diverse and will undoubtedly remain so. Few would disagree that humans have a pervasive need to belong." This book attempts to describe some of the universal dynamics involved in the sharing of intimate relationships over the course of our lives.
Tired of all those confusing opinions about your love life?
Rating:
5 / 5
Sharon S. Brehm is a respected social psychologist who has composed a witty, fun, and insightful tome regarding the many fascinating contributions her field has made to the study of love relationships. Popular press books may or may not offer valid advice--they aren't relying on scientific research, but rather on opinions (which often conflict with the opinions found in still other books). Brehm offers her readers information that is reliable and valid, and perhaps most importantly, useful. Better still, her book is equally applicable for men and women. As a psychology professor and a consultant for individuals seeking their life mate, I read and use many books--texts and popular press--on this issue. Brehm's book is among my most trusted resources, and it gives readers the best of all worlds: excellent and engaging writing that is easily understood, information that is eminently useful, and solid research evidence rather than opinion alone. Should you live together? Does marriage really make people happier than if they had remained single? What attracts romantic partners? If you want "just the facts," this is the place to go for them. (If you want opinion-type popular-press books that support "the facts" and thus really do give good advice, I highly recommend "If I'm So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single?" by Susan Page, as well as "How to Find the Love of Your Life," by Ben Dominitz, "The Rules," by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider [note: "The Rules" are for women only], and "Mars and Venus on a Date," by John Gray.)
Understand your own intimate relationships better!
Rating:
5 / 5
Confused about your conflicts with your significant other? Do you want to find out why people are attracted to some people but not others? Reading this book for my sociology class in college allowed me to better comprehend my own relationships. The book collects together social psychological research on intimate relationships, discussing such topics as attraction, sexuality, power, conflict, loneliness, and relationship development. Unlike other non-scholarly books written about relationships, this text is based on studies published by psychologists. Their conclusions can help you better understand your own relationships, but of course each individual person may differ from what sociologists generally conclude about human beings. Even though this book was written for psychology courses, the text is not too difficult to understand. This book is extremely interesting, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has been, wants to be, or is currently in a relationship - which is, basically, everyone
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