Intimate relationship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (July 2007) |
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It is a relationship in which the participants know or trust one another very well or are confidants of one another, or a relationship in which there is physical or emotional intimacy.
Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity.
[edit] Physical and emotional intimacy
Love is an important factor in physical and emotional intimate relationships. Though the term is notoriously difficult to define, any thoughtful inquiry into the subject will show it to be qualitatively, not only quantitatively, different than liking, and the difference is not merely in the presence or absence of sexual attraction. According to one analysis,[citation needed] love in relationships is divided into two types: passionate and companionate. Passionate love is intense longing, and is often accompanied by physiological arousal (shortness of breath, rapid heart rate). Companionate love is affection and a feeling of intimacy and is not necessarily accompanied by physiological arousal.
People that are in an intimate relationship with one another are often called a couple, especially if the members of that couple have ascribed some degree of permanency to their relationship. Such couples often provide the emotional security that is necessary for them to accomplish other tasks, particularly forms of labor/work.
[edit] The intimate partners
Terms for partners in intimate relationships include:
- Boyfriend/girlfriend
- Confidant or confidante
- Family member
- Friend
- Life partner/partner
- Spouse
- Mistress
- Significant other
| Close relationships |
 |
|
Boyfriend · Casual · Cohabitation Concubinage · Consort · Courtesan Friendship · Girlfriend · Husband Major relationship events Relationship breakup · Romance Feelings and emotions Compersion · Infatuation · Intimacy Passion · Platonic love · Polyamory Human practices Bride price / Dower / Dowry |
[edit] See also
- Free union
- Intimacy
- Love
- Lover
- Marriage
- Romantic love
- Sexual partner
- Sexual relationship
- Significant other
- Dating
- Polyamory
- Monogamy
- polygamy
 |
This sociology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |