Maintenance strategies and romantic relationship type, gender and relational characteristics
Abstract
This study examines the manner in which perceptions of relational maintenance strategies used in romantic dyads vary according to relationship type (married, engaged, seriously dating and dating) and gender. Additionally, this study investigates how perceptions of partners' maintenance behaviors differentially affect the relational characteristics of control mutuality, commitment, liking and satisfaction. Research assumptions were cast within a developmental framework. Five maintenance strategies were derived through factor analyses: positivity, assurances, openness, sharing tasks and social networks. Results indicate that relationship type moderately affected perceptions of partner maintenance strategies and gender weakly affected perceptions of maintenance behaviors. The findings also reveal that positivity, assurances and sharing tasks were consistent and strong predictors of control mutuality, commitment, liking and satisfaction.
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Relationship maintenance is as important as relationship initiation in organizational communication.
“Scholars of organizational communication emphasize that relationship maintenance is as important as relationship initiation (Stafford & Canary, 1991).”
From Post-Conference Networking: Effective Follow-Up Techniques for Lasting Professional Relationships (2025) · cites this paper as Stafford & Canary, 1991
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Post-Conference Networking: Effective Follow-Up Techniques for Lasting Professional Relationships
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- Authors
- Stafford, L., & Canary, D. J.
- Affiliations
- The Ohio State University (US)
- Ohio University (US)
- ORCID
- Stafford, Laura
- Venue
- Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1991-05
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 217-242
- ISSN
- 0265-4075 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-3608
- OpenAlex
- W2100774179
- Cited by
- 860
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 48 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 57 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 55 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 39
- FWCI
- 8.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
- Keywords
- romantic relationships, relationship type, gender differences, control mutuality, relationship commitment, relationship satisfaction, liking, positivity, assurance, social networks, openness, developmental framework
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