Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

Sharing
The third dimension of marriage relationships is sharing. Sharing consists of two basic components.
The first component involves discussing the affective or emotional health of each of the partners and the
relationship while exhibiting nonverbal affective displays (e.g., touching holding hands in public). The
second component expands across the other dimensions. “A high score on this factor would suggest an
open sharing of love and caring, and the tendency to communicate a wide range and intensity of feelings.
There is a sharing of both task and leisure activities, as well as a considerable degree of mutual empathy.
Finally, these relational partners not only visit with friends but also seek new friends and experiences.” 65
Autonomy
is an individual’s independence in their own behaviors and thoughts. In a marriage
relationship, autonomy can include having a “man cave” or a home office that is specified as “personal”
space for one of the marriage partners. Some couples will even go on separate vacations from one
another. In any relational dialectic, there is always the struggle between connectedness and autonomy.
Different couples will place differing degrees of importance on autonomy.
Undifferentiated Space
The fifth dimension of marital relationships is , or the idea that there are
few constraints on physical spaces within the home. This undifferentiated space means that spouses
do not see her/his/their ownership of personal belongings as much as they do ownership as a couple.
Furthermore, individuals who score high in undifferentiated space are also more willing to open their
homes to family and friends. On the other hand, individuals who have a low undifferentiated space
generally see belongings in personal terms. “That’s my room.” “That’s my pen. “This is my mail.” Etc.
These individuals are also more protective of their personal space from outsiders. When they do allow
outsiders (e.g., family and friends) into the house, they want to forewarn the outsiders that this will
happen and may limit access to parts of the house (e.g., office spaces, workshops, master bedrooms,
master bathrooms).
Temporal Regularity
The next dimension, , examines strict a schedule couples stick to. Do they always
get up at the same time? Do they always go to bed at the same time? Do they always eat their meals at the
same time? Some marriages run like a well-scheduled train, while other marriages fluctuate temporally
daily.
Conflict Engagement vs. Avoidance
The final broad category of relational dimensions examines how couples handle conflict. Some couples
will actively avoid conflict, while others openly engage in conflict.
Conflict Avoidance
The seventh dimension of marital relationships is conflict avoidance. Couples who engage in conflict
avoidance do not openly discuss any conflicts that occur within the marriage. Individuals who avoid
conflict will even avoid expressing their true feelings about topics that could cause conflict. If, and when,
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Interpersonal Communication