On-Again/Off-Again Dating Relationships: What Keeps Partners Coming Back?

• Published in: The Journal of social psychology Vol. 151; no. 4; pp. 417 - 440
• Main Authors: Dailey, René M., Jin, Borae, Pfiester, Abigail, Beck, Gary
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.07.2011; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Courtship - psychology; dating relationships; Decision Making - physiology; Emotions; Emotions - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Multivariate analysis; on-again/off-again relationships; Personal relationships; Personal Satisfaction; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; relational stability; relationship renewals; Sexual Partners - psychology; Social Behavior; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social psychology; Stress; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Students - psychology; Uncertainty; Young Adult; Human; relational stability; Stability; Separation; dating relationships; Social interaction; relationship renewals; Duration; on-again/off-again relationships; Dating behavior; Predictive factor; Interpersonal relation
• ISSN: 0022-4545; 1940-1183
• DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2010.503249

Building on research comparing on-again/off-again (on-off) relationships to other dating relationships, the current study focused on a unique feature of these relationships-renewals. A sample of 274 participants who had experienced an on-off relationship completed a survey about why they renewed their relationships, characteristics of their breakups and renewals, and what stressors and benefits they experienced. These characteristics were used to predict the occurrence of renewals, separately as well as in multivariate analyses. In addition to lingering feelings being a predominant reason for renewals, findings suggested uncertainty about what the preceding breakup indicated, not having dated others after breakups, and feeling the on-off nature improved the relationship were all related to an increased chance of renewals. Mutual initiations of breakups, as well as reporting uncertainty about the general nature of the relationship, were also related to a decreased chance of renewals.