Interpersonal Relationships

Interpersonal relationships are social connections or bonds between two or more individuals that vary in closeness, commitment, and duration. From the cradle to the grave, interpersonal relationships have an enduring impact on the well-being of individuals. Although early relationship experiences, whether positive or negative, do not determine what an individual will be like as an adult, relationships in childhood can set up interpersonal expectations that then shape and influence future relationships of all types.

This entry discusses how events that occur in different types of relationships at different points of development can influence different life outcomes. It first discusses parent–child relationships, after which it turns to peer relationships/friendships in childhood and adolescence, romantic relationships in adulthood, and other types of relationships in middle and later life. ...