The Experience and Expression of Uncertainty in Close Relationships

226 Pages·2018·1.832 MB·English

by  Jennifer A. Theiss

The Experience and Expression of Uncertainty in
Close Relationships
Closerelationshipsareanimportantanddesiredaspectofthehuman
experience; but as individuals pursue intimacy and connection with
others, they will encounter a variety of questions about the nature,
status,andfutureoftheirrelationships.Consequently,uncertaintyis
aninevitableelementofcloserelationships.Itcanariseinresponseto
avarietyofrelationalcircumstancesandcanshapethewaysinwhich
partnersthink,feel,andacttowardoneanother.
This book summarizes the expansive body of theoretical and
empirical research regarding the nature of uncertainty, the conditions
that promote uncertainty about relational involvement, and the
emotional,cognitive,andcommunicativeoutcomesofuncertaintyfor
individualsandtheirrelationships.Basedontherobustaccumulationof
data about uncertainty in close relationships, the book also offers
recommendationsforcopingwithambiguousrelationalcircumstances
and proposes new directions for conceptualizing and studying
uncertaintyincloserelationships.
jennifer a. theiss (PhD, University of Wisconsin) is an Associate
Professor in the Department of Communication at Rutgers
University.Herresearchhascontributedtothedevelopmentofrela-
tionalturbulencetheory,whichfocusesonconditionsduringtransi-
tionsincloserelationshipsthatgiverisetocognitive,emotional,and
communicative turmoil. She is a Rutgers University Chancellor’s
Scholar and her scholarship has received several awards, including
the Early Career Award from the Interpersonal Communication
Division of the National Communication Association, the
Distinguished Article Award from the International Association for
RelationshipResearch,andtheJohnGarrisonAwardforInterpersonal
CommunicationResearchinAppliedContexts.
AdvancesInPersonalRelationships
ChristopherR.Agnew
PurdueUniversity
JohnP.Caughlin
UniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Champaign
C.RaymondKnee
UniversityofHouston
TerriL.Orbuch
OaklandUniversity
Althoughscholarsfromavarietyofdisciplineshavewrittenandconversed
abouttheimportanceofpersonalrelationshipsfordecades,theemergence
ofpersonalrelationshipsasafieldofstudyisrelativelyrecent.Advancesin
PersonalRelationshipsrepresentstheculminationofyearsofmultidisci-
plinaryandinterdisciplinaryworkonpersonalrelationships.Sponsoredby
the International Association for Relationship Research, the series offers
readerscutting-edgeresearchandtheoryinthefield.Contributingauthors
areinternationallyknownscholarsfromavarietyofdisciplines,including
socialpsychology,clinicalpsychology,communication,history,sociology,
gerontology,andfamilystudies.Volumesincludeintegrativereviews,con-
ceptual pieces, summaries of research programs, and major theoretical
works.AdvancesinPersonalRelationshipspresentsfirst-ratescholarship
that is both provocative and theoretically grounded. The theoretical and
empiricalworkdescribedbyauthorswillstimulatereadersandadvancethe
field by offering new ideas and retooling old ones. The series will be of
interest to upper-division undergraduate students, graduate students,
researchers,andpractitioners.
OtherBooksintheSeries
Attribution,CommunicationBehavior,andCloseRelationships
ValerieManusovandJohnH.Harvey,editors
StabilityandChangeinRelationships
AnitaL.Vangelisti,HarryT.Reis,andMaryAnneFitzpatrick,editors
UnderstandingMarriage:DevelopmentsintheStudyofCouple
Interaction
PatriciaNollerandJudithA.Feeney,editors
GrowingTogether:PersonalRelationshipsAcrosstheLifespan
FriederR.LangandKarenL.Fingerman,editors
CommunicatingSocialSupport
DaenaJ.Goldsmith
CommunicatingAffection:InterpersonalBehaviorandSocial
Context
KoryFloyd
ChangingRelations:AchievingIntimacyinaTimeofSocial
Transition
RobinGoodwin
FeelingHurtinCloseRelationships
AnitaL.Vangelisti,editor
RomanticRelationshipsinEmergingAdulthood
FrankD.FinchamandMingCui,editors
RespondingtoIntimateViolenceAgainstWomen:TheRoleof
InformalNetworks
RenateKlein
SocialInfluencesonRomanticRelationships:BeyondtheDyad
ChristopherR.Agnew,editor
PositiveApproachestoOptimalRelationshipDevelopment
C.RaymondKneeandHarryT.Reis,editors
PersonalityandCloseRelationshipProcesses
StanleyO.Gaines,Jr.

The Experience and
Expression of Uncertainty
in Close Relationships
jennifer a. theiss
RutgersUniversity,NewJersey
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Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781107130555
DOI:10.1017/781316423264
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Firstpublished2018
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Names:Theiss,Jennifer,author.
Title:Theexperienceandexpressionofuncertaintyincloserelationships/Jennifer
A.Theiss.
Description:NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,2017.|Series:Advancesin
personalrelationships|Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
Identifiers:LCCN2017030489|ISBN9781107130555(hardback)
Subjects:LCSH:Interpersonalrelations.|Uncertainty.|Socialpsychology.|
BISAC:PSYCHOLOGY/SocialPsychology.
Classification:LCCHM1106.T43942017|DDC302–dc23
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