Attribution, Communication Behavior, and Close Relationships

The field of close relationships is one of the most fertile areas of work in the social and behavioural sciences. Central to theoretical developments in the study of close relationships is a focus on people's interpretive activities and communication behavior. Theories of attribution and of communication styles are prominent in explanations of why and how people begin close relationships, maintain and enhance closeness, and sometimes terminate close relationships. Originally published in 2001, Attribution, Communication Behavior, and Close Relationships brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines whose work focuses on the interplay of attribution processes and communication behavior in close relationships. The book shows ways in which diverse scholarly perspectives can blend to provide insight into areas of common interest. In this case, it is the ways that people in relationships think about communication, make attributions through communication, and communicate about the attributions they make.