"Dating and relationship conversations can feel embarrassing and anxiety-provoking. Those feelings arise because we want something from a romantic partner, but we don't want to make things awkward by asking them for it."
"Kunkel, Wilson, Olufowote, and Robson (2003) studied the concerns that made individuals uncomfortable asking a partner for something ( face threats), as well as the strategies they used to discuss things more comfortably ( face-saving strategies)."
"Kunkel and associates (2003) noted six main questions that individuals consider before asking a partner to make a greater commitment to them: Why do I want to make this relationship more committed and "official" right now? Are they unable to commit to me (or to anyone) for some reason? Do I have the right to ask for more commitment from them? Why do I need to be the one to ask for a commitment (will it happen anyway)? Do they seem like they are willing to make a commitment? Do I really want to commit to them (and exclude other potential relationships)?"
"Discussing commitment indirectly, however, can help ease anxious feelings and make the conversation easier."
Dating and relationship conversations can feel embarrassing and anxiety-provoking because people want something from a romantic partner while fearing awkwardness. Research identified concerns that hold people back from intensifying commitment, including uncertainty about timing, partner capacity to commit, personal entitlement to request commitment, whether the requester must initiate it, perceptions of the partner’s willingness, and whether the requester truly wants to exclude other options. These concerns can lead people to stop before attempting to discuss commitment. Indirect approaches to raising commitment topics can ease anxious feelings and make the conversation easier to manage.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]