Conflicts in Romantic Relationships: A Literature Review

Conflicts in Romantic Relationships: A Literature Review Amanda Bjork Conflict. We all experience conflicts, arguments, or fights in our lives and in our relationships. It is present for and affects everyone, whether they have have platonic, intimate, close, friendly, or other types of relationships. Conflict exists whether someone is fifteen or fifty five years of age, but what does change are the topics causing the conflict. Conflicts within romantic relationships can lead to yelling, tears, hurt feelings, and sometimes even broken things, including broken hearts. Understanding the topics of conflict within romantic relationships is important because people sometimes express their frustrations as a way to produce a desired change to meet their personal needs within the relationships. My own relationships have brought this to my attention. I have started fights because I want something to change, because I wasn’t happy with how things were. Disagreements and conflicts are inevitable, but vital to the evolution of any relationship. According to Jaelline Jaffe, Ph.D and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D (2007), disagreements will occur in any intimate relationship because it just isn’t realistic (or possible) for two people to have the same expectations, ideas, needs, and/or opinions all of the time. Successfully resolving these relational disagreements is crucial for the development and continuance of all successful relationships. It is essential to ponder the topics of argument and then conflict management within relationships since literally everybody is involved in and needs relationships in one way or another. If we can better recognize the topics that create conflict within relationships, we could theoretically decrease the amount of conflict that is present and thus increase relationship satisfaction overall. Guerrero et al. (2001) have identified conflict to be a â€Å"disagreement between two interdependent people who believe that they have dissenting goals.† Conflict plays a very significant role within romantic relationships. Not only does it potentially affect the duration of said relationship, but also the level of satisfaction each person has within that relationship. Julia T. Wood (2007) stated that â€Å"conflict affects the power dynamic between couples by forcing them to negotiate and renegotiate the extent to which they share power.† Guerrero et al. (2001) also said that close, romantic relationships that are devoid of conflict are rare, unrealistic, and highly extraordinary. Essentially, relationships just cannot exist without some kind of conflict. â€Å"In truth, satisfied couples are more likely to discuss issues of discrepancy, whereas discontented couples are more likely to abate or elude conflict† (Guerrero et al., 2001). Even though conflict is so prevalent in relationships, very few scholars have actually done significant research on the subject (Walker, 2000). The â€Å"dark side† of relationships, that much of the research refers to, is generally considered to be the â€Å"bad† things; fighting, disagreement/arguments, and conflict. It is very difficult to understand conflict within relationships and how to manage it since scholars have not yet completely broken into the realm of interpersonal conflicts. Guerrero et al. state, â€Å"the need to examine the dark side of close relationships is more important than focusing on the positive aspects of interpersonal relationships.† Walker goes on to say that studies have a â€Å"Pollyanna-like perspective which only highlights that individuals need to be open, honest, polite, and attractive in relationships, while ignoring other negative relational dynamics.† As Walker also states, conflict is just as essential (and common) in relationships as the pos itive aspects, thus creating validity and the necessity to cultivate a better understanding of the topics that people fight about in relationships (Walker, 2000). There are not many things in this world that are more communicative than emotions can be. â€Å"A rapidly growing body of research indicates that the transition from casual dating to serious commitment is marked by intensified emotions, increased emotional jealousy, greater reactivity to conflict and uncertainty, and more negative appraisals of irritations† (Theiss Soloman, 2006). The first fight a couple might have may occur at this point in their relationship progress, the beginning. The couples who dissolved their relationship after the first big fight reported having been feeling chaotic or ambiguous about their relationship as a whole (Guerrero et al., 2001). Accordingly, the partners who stayed together gained a greater comprehension of their emotional state with regards to each other, felt like they were well suited to problem solve together, and were assured that both would be willing to make sacrifices for the relationship/each other. Guerrero et al. (2001) estimated that â€Å"most romantic couples have somewhere between 1-3 disagreements per week, of which 1 or 2 disagreements each month is particularly unpleasant. Additionally, couples who are dissatisfied often experience 5.4 incidences of conflict over a 5-day period.† Guerrero et al. (2001) state that â€Å"most disagreements are related to the fair division of household labor, jealousy and possessiveness, sex, money and possessions, the social network (including families), and children.† More research has shown that work has an effect on relationships, including unearthing stressors such as low support from partners, the amount of time devoted to relationship activities, and even issues such potential children and their ages/names (Cinamon, 2006). In addition, partners might complain about the amount of time spent together and justify engaging in infidelities (Guerrero et al., 2001). Arguments about sex, household chores, money, jealousy, possessions, social media, the futu re, and children are of course not the lone or single sources of disagreement that couples can experience, but they tend to be the most frequent types of conflict within intimate and romantic relationships. After distinguishing what types of conflict can arise, it is particularly important to also understand that there are different levels of conflict as well. Guerrero et al. (2001) claim that there are four levels of conflict. As defined by Guerrero et al. (2001), the first conflict level is when couples argue about â€Å"specific, concrete behaviors such as how to specifically clean the kitchen. The second level of conflict is when couples argue about relational rules and norms such as working late without informing your partner or forgetting your significant other’s birthday or anniversary† (Guerrero et al., 2001). Thirdly, Guerrero et al. define the third level of conflict to be when partners argue about their varying personality traits. Finally, the fourth level of conflict is when couples â€Å"argue about the process of conflict itself, otherwise known as metaconflict. This may also include accusing your partner of pouting, nagging, throwing a temper tantrum, not l istening, or fighting unfairly† (Guerrero et al., 2001). In conclusion, the research reviewed in this literature review has suggested that conflict within relationships occurs very commonly and in nearly all relationships. We can assume that the majority of couples involved romantically will experience 1-3 disagreements per week (Guerrero et al., 2001). These studies also suggest that a majority of arguments among couples are a product of money, sex, household duties, jealousy, social media, the future, and children. Additionally, the research demonstrated four levels of conflict, which can be alleviated once the topics are identified and conflict management employed. References Cinamon, R. (2006). Anticipated work-family conflict: effects of gender, self-efficacy, and family background. Career Development Quarterly, 54(6), 202-216. Gere, J. U. (2013). When Romantic Partners Goals Conflict: Effects on Relationship Quality and Subjective Well-Being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(1), 37-49. Guerrero, L., Andersen, P. (2001).  Close Encounters: Communicating in Relationships. Mountain View, Calif.: Mayfield Pub. Keener, E., Strough, J., DiDonato, L. (2012). Gender Differences and Similarities in Strategies for Managing Conflict with Friends and Romantic Partners. Sex Roles, 67(1/2), 83-97. Mackinnon, S.P., Sherry, S.B., Antony, M.M., Stewart, S. H., Sherry, D. L., Hartling, N. (2012). Caught in a bad romance: Perfectionism, conflict, and depression in romantic relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(2), 215-225. Segal, J., Jaffe, J. (2007). Conflict Resolution Skills. Retrieved February 10, 2015 from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/EQ8_conflict_resolution.html Theiss, J. A., Solomon, D. H. (2006). A relational turbulence model of communication about irritations in romantic relationships.Communication Research,33(5), 391-418. Walker, K. (2000). The Dark Side of Close Relationships. The Southern Communication Journal, 65(4), 340-342. Wood, J. (2007).  Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Pub.

Capital Punishment Essay: Christians and Capital Punishment

Christians and the Capital Punishment    The restoration of the death penalty by the Supreme Court prompted statements of opposition by some Christians around the country. This essay reflects on these statements and draws the conclusion of their suitability and correctness in light of our Christian heritage and other secular, practical reasons.    These statements acknowledge that Christians of equally serious moral concern can and do disagree on the issue of capital punishment. We must honor the personal freedom in Christ for different people to exercise moral discernment and come to different conclusions on this issue. Still, many Christians feel compelled to bear witness to our views and ask the people of America to give us heed.    The death penalty might be justified as the lesser of two evils if it could be shown conclusively that, by inhibiting violent crime, it served as a significant protection to society. However, the weight of sociological research strongly suggests the reverse - that lawful violence may actually encourage criminal violence. Since the sociology of... ... Its actual use in our state demeans us all. It reduces our shared dignity as human persons and violates our professed respect for human life.    That there should be punishment of crime, we hold to be self-evident. That the punishment should fit both the crime and the criminal we hold to be the steadfast aim of our courts of law. If the law of the land should mature to the point of forbidding the retaliatory violence of punishing crime by killing the criminal, we would hold this to be a triumph of God's redemptive sovereignty in human affairs.

The Idea Of Regulating Air Pollution

Clean Air forms one of the most important necessities for the survival all living things. Both plants and animals utilize air in many ways which are very much diversified depending on several factors. Such factors include environmental factors like temperature humidity and sunlight.In addition, other determining factors on the ability of the living things to utilize air are those which fall under the broad category of chemical compositions and biological factor: There are some optimum quantities which are required by each individual living thing on the earth.These optima are therefore enormously varied because each and every living thing occupies its own niche within diversified environmental, biological and chemical factors.  Many environmentalists have emerged in the past few decades or centuries claiming that there are many substances which are being released to the environment from the various sources.These substances are alleged to have great impact on impairing the health of plants and animals. Due to these detremendous factors of pollutants, numerous bodies have been formed with the idea of regulating air pollution.Air is a composition of gases. The various air components are used differently by plants and animals. Any unpolluted air has definite compositions of these air components.Due to the release of harmful gases and excessive useful gases forming part of the air, the air composition becomes altered and either plants or animals are affected in one way or the other. In order to maintain the optimum air composition, the idea of regulating air pollution is put in place.In the first point of view, the idea of regulating air pollution will in one way be very advantageous to the prosperity of human beings. This is because it endeavors to ensure that life is not affected through chemical substance such as sulfur compounds, which are released by many factories and automobiles to the environment.When such substances are reacted with other useful particular matter in the atmospheres, they form new substance which destroys human properties.For instance, checking of sulfur oxide compounds from the air maintains minimal amounts of this compound, and thus it is impossible to have acidic rains which damages plants and housing roofs through corrosion. Regulating air pollution thus makes countries’ and world wide annual outputs to be increased or maintained at averages.When there are no damages within a country, and there is increase in outputs, this in most cases leads to an increase in trade. Hence, the replication in trades provides opportunities to for job employment to jobless people. Individuals find their living standards be improved through the earnings from the job returns.Moreover, trade and tax are intimately connected thus one cannot live on its own. It can then be seen that regulation of air pollution will indirectly contribute to the generation of revenue for the governments through trade.It not only generates revenues b ut also it saves government revenues through the elimination and abolishment of pollutants which are health hazard in the human body. This is because when citizen are affected by disease, the ruling government spends lots money in the provision medical amenities, medicines and drugs.It should also be noted that the ideas of regulating air pollution not only achieves the limitation of gaseous substances but also limit   the particular materials which might be released from its source and be suspended in the air.The materials coagulate and react with many other chemical substances resulting into fog formation. The resultant fog is viciously dangerous to air transportations.   Thus, the regulations aimed at reducing these materials helps to save life for those air travelers.  On the other hand, the idea of air regulation may be to a certain extent affect the worlds’ economy in the adverse manner. Air pollution does not occur in spontaneous action without the involvement of human activity, which is focused in production for some product.If there is the idea of regulating air pollution, then rules and regulation must be laid down for the producers of these products to follow. In some cases, the producers are compelled to comply with the set rules, but due either financial constrains or inability to make the necessary steps to check their emissions to air, the companies are enforced to close down.This creates a lot of impacts both to the economy of the country and the individual employees’ survival means. For instance, if strictly noise pollutant which forms part of air pollution is to be controlled in most developing and underdeveloped countries, it will very highly affect most of companies.This is because most of them can only afford to purchase second hand factory machine which are so noisy that they cause air pollution. This will also affect most transportation companies which are rampantly filled with unworthy vehicles.Finally, although the idea of regulating air pollution may lead to innovation and invention, it may deter quick progressive growth of the economy and development of a developing country. This idea calls for installation of some expensive gadgets to existing machines or as regulators and analyzers of pollutants.Furthermore, people will be required to invest in new and modern machines which are costly but pollutes environment the least. So, this does not favor most people who are in the developing country. Hence, it can be concluded that the idea of regulating air pollution remain a debatable issues for proper implementation processes. (Judith, 2002)

##arison Of Down By The Sally Gardens And The Lake Isle Of...

William Butler Yeats is considered to be one of the notable poets of Irish literature and had a major role in Irish politics. One can notice the slow shift from the English style of romanticism to serious political messages in his poems. A lot of his early works had a lot of motifs and imagery of nature. I want to examine two of these poems, Down by the Sally Gardens and The Lake Isle of Innisfree, the way these poems are designed are somewhat similar, but may have contrasting meanings and may have different contexts. Down by the Sally Gardens and The Lake Isle of Innisfree both are nature poems, which means, they use natural aesthetic to describe human emotions. Both of them are early works of W.B. Yeats. These poems, unlike, Easter 1916†¦show more content†¦Yeats is starting to talk more about the beauty of Ireland. He is not getting fully political, but he is definitely more patriotic and is proud to call Innisfree his land. A bit of the poem is like an incantation. â€Å"I shall arise and go now, and go to Innisfree† (1); â€Å"And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made: Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee† (2-3) â€Å"While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,† (The Lake Isle of Innisfree, 11) There is a lot of description to nature in Innisfree, like, â€Å"veils of the morning†, â€Å"midnight’s glimmer†, â€Å"noon a purple glow†, a place that W.B. Yeats is mentioning in this poem. He is missing the nature, the feeling of that place that he considers his homeland. With reference to line 11 and 12, it may be because he is in a highly urbanized place, he wants to go back to his Innisfree where everything was perfect and beautiful. Unlike â€Å"Down by the Sally Gardens† where he uses nature to describe human emotions of struggle, in The Lake Isle of Innisfree, he believes he will be at peace over there, â€Å"And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,† (5) This poem has a tone of an incantation and he uses nature to romanticize the country he loves. It may also be that the poet is giving Ireland it’s own anthem. That can be shown in the last stanza of the poem, â€Å"I hear it in the deep heart†™s core.† (12) This line sort of is like he is being called from Ireland and the Irish