Change Processes in Relationships: A Relational-Historical Research Approach

By Alan FogelAndrea GarveyDelisa West-Stroming, et al.

Book Overview

Just as each person develops from infancy to adulthood, all interpersonal relationships have a life history that encompasses the changes in how people communicate with each other. This book is about how a relationship transforms itself from one pattern of communication to another. The authors present a unique research method called 'relational-historical research', based on advances in dynamic systems theory in developmental psychology, and qualitative methods in life history research. It rests on three premises: that the developing relationship (not the individual) is the unit of analysis; that change emerges from, but is not entirely constrained by, the patterns of the past; and that the developmental process is best revealed by making frequent observations within a particular case before, during, and after a key developmental transition. Looking specifically at the mother-infant relationship, this is a compelling piece of research that will appeal to an international audience of intellectuals and practitioners.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521120683
• ISBN13: 9780521120685
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"