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Loving Women: Attachment and Autonomy in Lesbian Relationships
Author(s) -
Peplau Letitia Anne,
Cochran Susan,
Rook Karen,
Padesky Christine
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.1978.tb02611.x
Subject(s) - autonomy , lesbian , psychology , social psychology , sexual relationship , independence (probability theory) , heterosexuality , personal autonomy , developmental psychology , gender studies , homosexuality , human sexuality , sociology , political science , psychoanalysis , statistics , mathematics , law
The love relationships of lesbians were investigated as part of a questionnaire study of a diverse sample of 127 lesbians. The majority of women said their current relationship was extremely close, personally satisfying, and egalitarian. Differences among women's values concerning relationships reflected two distinct dimensions: dyadic attachment and personal autonomy. These relationship values were associated with women's social characteristics and feminist involvement. Relationship values were also related to such characteristics of women's current relationships as measures of love and satisfaction, future commitment, sexual exclusivity, and problems of independence/dependence.