September 2010
 John DeLamater
 

 Sociology 961: Intimate Relationships 

The purpose of this seminar is 1) to read and discuss the social science literature on close or intimate relationships, and 2) to contribute to your development as a scholar of relationships.
 

September 13: Overview

Orbuch, Terri, and Sprecher, Susan.  (2003).  Attraction and interpersonal relationships.  In DeLamater, John (Ed.), Handbook of Social Psychology.  New York: Kluwer-Plenum, 339-362.

DeLamater, John, and Hyde, Janet Shibley.  (2004).  Conceptual and theoretical issues in studying sexuality in close relationships. In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 7-30.

September 20: Theoretical Paradigms

Buss, David. (1998).  Sexual strategies theory: Historical origins and current status.   Journal of Sex Research, 35, 19-31.

Eagly, Alice H. & Wood, Wendy (1999). The origins of sex differences in human behavior: Evolved dispositions versus social roles.  American Psychologist, 54, 408-423.

Sternberg, Robert.  (1998).  Love is a Story: A New Theory of RelationshipsNew York: Oxford University Press, Part I (pp. 1-44).

Swidler, Ann.  (2001).  Talk of Love: How Culture MattersChicago: University of Chicago Press.  Introduction, Part 1 (pp. 1-40).


Relationship Processes

September 27: Communication

Sillars, Alan, and Vangelisti, Anita. (2006). Communication: Basic properties and their relevance to relationshiop research.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 331-351.

Guerrero, Laura, Jones, Susanne, and Boburka, Renee.  (2006).  Sex differences in emotional communication.  In Dindia, Kathryn, and Canary, Daniel (Eds.), Sex Differences and Similarities in Communication.  Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 241-261.
 

October 4: Attachment Processes

Shaver, Phillip, and Mikulincer, Mario. (2006).  Attachment theory, individual psychodynamics, and relationship functioning.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 251-271. 

Feeney, Judith, and Noller, Patricia.  (2004).  Attachment and sexuality in close relationships.  In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 183-201.

October 11: Commitment

Rusbult, Caryl, Coolsen, Michael, Kirchner, Jeffrey, and Clarke, Jennifer.  (2006). Commitment.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 615-636.

Gonzaga, Gian, Keltner, Dacher, Londahl, Esme, and Smith, Michael.  (2001). Love and the commitment problem in romantic relationships and friendship.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 247-262.

Fincham, Frank, and Beach, Steven.  (2006). Relationship satisfaction.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 579-594.

Lehmiller, Justin.  (2009). Secret romantic relationships: Consequences for personal and relational well-being.  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1452-1466.

October 18: Social Support

Stroebe, Wolfgang, and Stroebe, Margaret.  (1996).  The social psychology of social support.  In Higgins, E. Tory, and Kruglanski, Arie (Eds.), Social Psychology: Handbook of Basic PrinciplesNew York: Guilford Press, 597-621.

Sarason, Barbara, and Sarason, Irwin.  (2006).  Close relationships and social support: Implications for the measurement of social support.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 429-443. 

Octiber 25: Sexual Motivation/Sexual Desire

Pfaus, James.  (1999).  Revisiting the concept of sexual motivation.  In Rosen, Ray (Ed.), Annual Review of Sex Research, 10, 120-156.

Regan, Pamela.  (2004).  Sex and the attraction process: Lessons from science (and Shakespeare) on lust, love, chastity, and fidelity. In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 115-133. 

Impett, Emily, and Peplau, Letitia Anne. (2006). "His" and "hers" relationships? A review of the empirical literature.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 273-291.

Tolman, Deborah, and Diamond, Lisa.  (2001). Desegregating sexuality research: Cultural and biological perspectives on gender and desire.    In Heiman, Julia (Ed.), Annual Review of Sex Research, 12, 33-74.
 

November 1: Conflict and Agression

Kline, Galena, Pleasant, Nichole, Whitton, Sarah, and Markman, Howard.  (2006). Understanding couple conflict.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 445-462.

Anderson, Kristin. (2010). Conflict, power, and violence in families.  Journal of Marriage and Family, 72: 726-742.

Christopher, F. Scott, and Kisler, Tiffani.  (2004). Sexual aggression in romantic relationships. In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 287-309.

November 8: Maintenance and Repair

Canary, David, and Dainton, Marianne. (2006). Maintaining relationships.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 727-743.

Baucom, Donald, Epstein, Norman, and Stanton, Susan. (2006). The treatment of relationship distress: Theoretical perspectives and empirical findings.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 745-765.

McCarthy, Barry, Bodnar, L. Elizabeth, and Handal, Mitsouko.  (2004). Integrating sex therapy and couple therapy.  In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 573-593.


Relationships across the Life Course

November 15: Adolescence

Giordano, Pegy(2003). Relationships in adolescence.  In Cook, Karen, and Hagan, John (Eds.), Annual Review of Sociology, 29, 257-281.

Miller, Brent, and Benson, Brad.  (1999). Romantic and sexual relationship development during adolescence.  In Furman, Wyndol, Brown, B. Bradford, and Feiring, Candice (Eds.), The Development of Romantic Relationships in AdolescenceCambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 99-121.

Diamond, Lisa, Savin-Williams, Ritch, and Dube, Eric.  (1999). Sex, dating, passionate friendships, and romance: Intimate peer relations among lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents.  In Furman, Wyndol, Brown, B. Bradford, and Feiring, Candice (Eds.), The Development of Romantic Relationships in AdolescenceCambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 175-210.
 

November 22: Adulthood

Cherlin, Andrew.  (2010). Demographic trends in the United States: A review of research in the 2000s. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72: 403-419.

Sassler, Sharon. (2010). Partnering across the life-course: Sex, relationships, and mate selection. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72: 557-575.

Fincham, Frank, and Beach, Steven.  (2010).  Marriage in the new Millennium: A decade in review.  Journal of Marriage and Family, 72: 630-649.

Diamond, Lisa.  (2006). The intimate same-sex relationships of sexual minorities.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 293-312.

Biblarz, Timothy, and Savci, Evren. (2010). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72: 480-497.

Recommended:  Willetts, Marion, Sprecher, Susan, and Beck, Frank.  (2004). Overview of sexual practices and attitudes within relational contexts. In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 57-86. 

November 29: Later Life

Blieszner, Rosemary. (2006). Close relationships in middle and late adulthood.   In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 211-227.

Burgess, Elisabeth.  (2004). Sexuality in midlife and later life couples. In Harvey, John, Wenzel, Amy, and Sprecher, Susan (Eds.), The Handbook of Sexuality in Close RelationshipsMahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 437-454.

Coleman, Marilyn, Ganong, Lawrence, and Leon, Kim.  (2006). Divorce and post-divorce relationships.  In Vangelisti, Anita, and Perlman, Dan (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personal RelationshipsCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 157-173.


December 6
: Student Presentations 
 

December 13: Student Presentations