Social Penetration Theory: The Three Phases Of Romantic Relationships

Romantic relationships are interpersonal attractions between two people. Attraction can be one of two things, liking someone or loving someone. “Love” is a word that is thrown around like a football. It seems like everyone either loves or hates each other these days. The love I am referring to is the physical/romantic love one feels with their intimate partner. There are a plethora of theories regarding interpersonal attraction, yet there are different phases of love. The three phases of a loving romantic relationship are typically: Meeting your partner for the first time, the dating stage, and marriage and beyond.

Many would claim that there is such a thing as love at first sight due to firsthand experiences. "Fifty-six percent of Americans

If my dad, for example, was really creepy in the way he asked my mom on a date, heck, I wouldn’t be alive today. I can also thank Altman and Taylor for their Social Penetration Theory philosophies for my life.

The Social Penetration Theory’s premise is that relationships typically increase in intimacy during the development process. The dating period is where partners get to know each other better. This is the stage where most couples either break apart or fall in love. When relationships develop, couples tend to progress from non-intimate to intimate. However, if couples uncover each other’s true colors and react negatively to them, they typically break up.

On the other hand, some couples do not date early on in their relationships. In some cases, ten years before a first date may occur. My friend was best friends with his current girlfriend since the first grade. Early on in life, they went through the stage of “cooties” and eventually became each other’s “wingmen”. When it became cool to date girls, they even helped each other have success with the opposite

Meaning if one partner’s costs outweigh their benefits, he or she may end the relationship. I recently experienced the effects of a detrimental relationship. Not a romantic relationship, rather a friendship I have had for over four years.

Coming back to your hometown from college for summer is a blissful part of life. It was great to see all of my friends that I have not visited since Winter break. Over the last couple years I was starting to grow apart from one of my closer friends, let’s call him “Bob”. Bob already had a falling out with some of my other close friends, due to foolish reasons I will not elaborate on.

The first Friday of summer break I spent the day with Bob, went to a boxing event with him, and spent the night at his house. The next day, I was invited by a group of my other friends, that don’t get along with Bob, to hangout. My (ex) friend found out and was not too pleased. He claimed that I was a bad friend and personally attacked me. Even though he knows that I still hang out with my other friends he expected me to give up my other friendships just for