Types of relationships

TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS

Create a Continuum of Human Relationships

Create a Continuum of Human Relationships

Continuum of Human Relationships

Human Contact
Acquaintances
Proximity Friends
Selected Friends
Significant Friends
Intimate Others

• As you move away from family, you will meet new people and develop a variety of new relationships
• Relationships vary in their degree of intimacy/commitment

Human Contacts

• No commitment

Acquaintances

• We acknowledge them

Proximity Friends

• Only because we live, work, or play in the same area

Selected Friends

• Develop from proximity friendships due to common interests, backgrounds, enjoy their company, etc.

Significant Friends

• Share personal feelings and disclose things about ourselves (more than ‘selected friends’)

Intimacy

• Involves deep emotional bond and high level of trust.
• DOES NOT necessarily imply ‘sexual closeness’
• Sexual involvement doesn’t always involve intimacy
• We can be ‘intimate’ with family or very close friends

Social Media

• How has Facebook and other forms of social media impacted friendship and the continuum of human relationships?

In your notes….

• A) Describe different ways of being intimate. Provide believable examples (real or pretend).
• B) What are some individual prerequisites (personality traits/characteristics) that would help someone with intimacy?
• C) What are some individual impediments (personality traits/characteristics) that would stop/impede one’s ability to be intimate
• Remember, INTIMACY = deep emotional bond and high level of trust.