Abstract
The frequency and focus of conflict varies during relational development, however, disagreements occur during every phase. One maladaptive communication pattern that has received considerable attention is the demand/withdrawal sequence - a pattern that generally involves one individual demanding that his or her partner change, and that partner then responding by withdrawing from the interaction. This chapter reviews research that examines how the demand/withdrawal sequence is related to measures of emotional provocation, physiological arousal, and physical health. We first explicate the features of the pattern and theories that have guided previous research. Then we examine research that investigated how the pattern is related to emotional, physiological, and health-related outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of future research directions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of the Physiology of Interpersonal Communication |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Pages | 152-171 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780190679446 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2020 |
Keywords
- Conflict structure approach
- Cortisol
- Demand/withdrawal pattern
- Escape conditioning model
- Polarization theory
- Precarious couples
- Serial arguing
- Stress
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Psychology