SAGE Reference - Encyclopedia of Communication Theory

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Relational Maintenance Theories

In: Encyclopedia of Communication Theory
Edited by: Stephen W. Littlejohn & Karen A. Foss
Subject:General Media, Communication & Cultural Studies, Communication Theory
Keywords:relational maintenance; relational maintenance theory

Relationship maintenance generally refers to a group of behaviors, actions, and activities that individuals use to sustain desired relational states (e.g., closeness and/or intimacy) and definitions (e.g., dating, best friends). Individuals in romantic [Page 841]relationships, cross-sex and same-sex friendships, family ...

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  Littlejohn, S. W., & Foss, K. A. (2009). Relational maintenance theories. In Encyclopedia of communication theory (Vol. 1, pp. 841-844). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n320
  
  Littlejohn, Stephen W., and Karen A. Foss. "Relational Maintenance Theories." In Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, edited by Littlejohn, Stephen W., and Karen A. Foss, 841-44. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2009. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n320.
  
  Littlejohn, S. W. and Foss, K. A. 2009. Relational Maintenance Theories. In: Stephen W. Littlejohn and Karen A. Foss Editors, 2009. Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. pp. 841-844 Available at: <https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n320> [Accessed 17 Aug 2022].
  
  Littlejohn, Stephen W. and Karen A. Foss. "Relational Maintenance Theories." Encyclopedia of Communication Theory. Edited by Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2009, pp. 841-44. SAGE Knowledge. 17 Aug 2022, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n320.
  
  Littlejohn, Stephen W., and Karen A. Foss (2009). Relational maintenance theories In:Relational maintenance theories Encyclopedia of communication theory Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.; 2009:841-844. doi:10.4135/9781412959384.n320
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