Relationship maintenance

The term “relationship maintenance” means activities and behaviors people use to preserve their romantic relationship.

A large study done on relationship maintenance divides it into two broad categories: threat mitigation and relationship enhancement, and discusses how both these purposes occur within individual or interactive modes.

Individual behaviors are internal processing and reflection one does on one’s own.

Interactive behaviors are external processing, reflecting, discussing, or acting that happens with a partner as opposed to on one’s own.

Maintenance strategies

The four relationship maintenance strategies we’re covering from this study are: individual threat mitigation, interactive threat mitigation, individual relationship enhancement, and interactive relationship enhancement.

Individual threat mitigation

• Derogation of alternatives, such as minimizing attractiveness of others.

• Idealization of partners.

• Attributions, or assigning positive explanations to a partner’s behavior and then acting accordingly.

Takeaway: Think good thoughts about your partner and give them the benefit of the doubt.

Interactive threat mitigation

• Conflict management.

• Forgiveness.

• Sacrifice (positive and negative types).

• Facilitative behavior.

• Dyadic coping.

Takeaway: Be a team when dealing with internal conflict or external stress.

Individual relationship enhancement strategies

• Relationship thinking.

• Generosity.

• Gratitude.

• Partner-focused prayer.

Takeaway: Give kindness, gratitude, and powerful magicks to your partner.

Interactive relationship enhancement maintenance strategies

• Communicative relationship maintenance strategies.

• Relationship talk about the state of the relationship.

• Social support and responsiveness to partner’s concerns, needs, desires, etc.

• Humor.

• Joint leisure activities.

Takeaway: Check in with your partner and have fun.