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Of Memes and Marriage: Toward a Positive Relationship Science
Author(s) -
Fincham Frank D.,
Beach Steven R. H.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of family theory and review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.454
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1756-2589
pISSN - 1756-2570
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-2589.2010.00033.x
Subject(s) - flourishing , forgiveness , construct (python library) , positive psychology , social psychology , psychology , positive relationship , focus (optics) , relationship maintenance , marital relationship , computer science , physics , optics , programming language
Marital and family research has tended to focus on distressed relationships. Reasons for this focus are documented before keys to establishing a positive relationship science are outlined. Increased study of positive affect is needed to better understand relationships, and the best way to accomplish this goal is to embrace the construct of “relationship flourishing.” The behavioral approach system and the behavioral inhibition system are described and their potential role in understanding positive relationship processes is described using, as examples, commitment and forgiveness. A link to positive psychology is made, and it is proposed that the study of positive relationships constitutes the fourth pillar of this subdiscipline. Finally, the potential for focus on positive relationship processes to integrate multiple literatures is noted.