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40 - Whither Relationship Science?

The State of the Science and an Agenda for Moving Forward

from Part XI - Conclusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2018

Anita L. Vangelisti
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
Daniel Perlman
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Greensboro
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Summary

Relationship science has established itself as a multidisciplinary science dedicated to the study of interpersonal relationships. Relationship scientists can take justifiable pride in the knowledge base that has been created, in the varied applications that follow from existing research and theory, and in the infrastructure that can promote future development of the field. At the same time, relationship science is still at a relatively early stage of development; much remains to be done if the field is to achieve the status and impact of a mature, relevant, and interdisciplinary science. In this chapter, we describe the current status of the field, and we discuss seven broad challenges that the field faces. We suggest that forward progress in advancing knowledge and developing effective interventions will depend on our willingness and ability to address these challenges.
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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