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8 - The role of passion in optimal relationships

from Part II - Concepts and mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2016

By
Robert J. Vallerand  and
Noémie Carbonneau
Edited by
C. Raymond Knee  and
Harry T. Reis
C. Raymond Knee
Affiliation:
University of Houston
Harry T. Reis
Affiliation:
University of Rochester, New York
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Summary

The purpose of this chapter is to present the Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP; Vallerand, 2010, 2015) and show how it explains some of the processes that affect friendships and romantic relationships. The DMP defines passion as a strong inclination toward an activity (or person) that we love, highly value, and engage in regularly. The DMP further posits the existence of two types of passion, namely harmonious passion (the passion remains under the person’s control) and obsessive passion (the passion controls the person). The DMP also proposes that harmonious passion facilitates optimal relationships and more so than obsessive passion. This hypothesis is reviewed and empirically supported in three different contexts: (1) where one’s passion for a given activity (e.g., sport) affects relationships with other people within the purview of the passionate activity; (2) where individuals’ passion for an activity (e.g., work) influences the quality of relationships in other spheres of life (family relationships); and (3) where one’s passion for the romantic partner can affect personal and relationship outcomes within the purview of the romantic relationship. Clearly, the passion that people have for their life activities as well as for their romantic partner matters greatly.
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Positive Approaches to Optimal Relationship Development , pp. 171 - 196
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2016

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