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What is commitment? women's accounts of intimate attachment

Carter, Julia

Authors

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Julia Carter Julia.Carter@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology



Abstract

© The Policy Press 2012. Commitment is a widely acknowledged concern among the general public as well as among academics and scholars. What commitment actually constitutes, however, is not easily defined. This article explores existing theories of commitment and how these fit in with the responses I found among young heterosexual women when asked what commitment meant to them. During the summer of 2008 I interviewed 23 women between the ages of 19 and 30 to discover their views regarding relationships, marriage and intimate commitment. Throughout discussions, certain defining features emerged as the most significant components to commitment in a romantic relationship. These include fidelity, love, longevity, social expectations and investments that are made within a relationship. In developing an account of commitment, it became apparent that certain of these factors pulled individuals into a relationship, while other factors pushed individuals together.

Citation

Carter, J. (2012). What is commitment? women's accounts of intimate attachment. Families, Relationships and Societies, 1(2), 137-153. https://doi.org/10.1332/204674312X645484

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 1, 2012
Publication Date Jan 1, 2012
Journal Families, Relationships and Societies
Print ISSN 2046-7435
Electronic ISSN 2046-7443
Publisher Policy Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 1
Issue 2
Pages 137-153
DOI https://doi.org/10.1332/204674312X645484
Keywords commitment, women's account, intimate attachment
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/946578
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1332/204674312X645484