A impressive body of research describes the formation and development of romantic and sexual relationships during adolescence (e.g., Furman, Brown, & Feiring, 1999; Collins, 2003; Carver, Joyner, & Udry, 2003). As the study of such relationships has expanded, a substantial theoretical and empirical literature has emerged explaining and describing how individuals' romantic relationships change as they mature (e.g., Sullivan, 1953: Dunphy, 1963; Furman & Buhrmester, 1992; Collins & Steinberg, 2006; Brown, 2004; Giordano, 2003). Despite these advances, there is little understanding of why, how, and when individuals are initially romantically interested or involved in opposite sex relationships.
Current literature has primarily focused on the experiences of middle adolescents through emerging adults overlooking the antecedents of romantic involvement beginning earlier in life (Crosnoe, 2000; Compian, Gowen, & Hayward, 2004). Limiting research to committed and intimate romantic relationships characteristic of later adolescence leads to an unfairly restricted understanding of romantic involvement (Brown, 1999).
Very little is know about the normative romantic and sexual processes that emerge during childhood and preadolescence.
Why does this topic matter -may set the trajectory of romantic involvement which has lasting implications throughout the lifecourse
- may also have important short term implications for well being and adjustment (depression literature)
- Though the initial forays into romance may seem unsophisticated, relationships and experiences that occur during this phase likely serve an important role as the training ground for more intimate and stable romantic relationships during later life (Sullivan, 1953; Brown, 1999; Collins, 2003).
The focus of this essay is to present an overview of the current status of the literature on opposite sex relationships during hcildhood and preadolescence. I will show that while there is information on opposite sex friendships, less is known about children and preadolescents' interest and involvement in opposite sex romantic relationships. Extrapolations from the current literature will assist me as I lay out the characteristics of interest and involvement in romantic relationships during this period...rough
This paper reviews research on romantic and sexual involvement from a developmental perspective. First, I examine theoretical and empirical literature that focuses on the emergence and transitions in romantic involvement across the life course. This work is instrumental in explaining how early experiences lay the groundwork for romantic involvement during later life.
Developmental Theories of Romantic Involvement
The emergence of romantic and sexual involvement has been theorized to occur in phases. Based on a "succession of experiences" (Brown, 2004, p. 383), individuals transition from same sex peer groups, to mixed sex groups with the beginnings of romance, and ultimately form intimate and stable romantic unions later in life (Sullivan, 1953; Dunphy, 1963; Feinstein & Ardon, 1973; Connolly & Goldberg, 1999; Brown, 1999). Following segregation into predominantly same sex groups during childhood, preadolescents expand their social networks to include interactions and relationships with members of the opposite sex. They use same sex peer groups as a platform from which to explore romantic involvement with the opposite sex (Dunphy, 1963).
- maybe build some more of the original paper into this section
Opposite Sex Relationships
Opposite sex relationships are initially characterized as friendships...These first steps into romantic relationships may begin with forming cross sex friendships...
- how & when they emerge
- tie back into theories of sullivan, etc.
- describe evidence that shows that it does happen in this way (connolly, et al; Buhrmester)
- During childhood and into early adolescence, children spend the majority of time in same sex social networks (Fagot, 1994; Thorne, 1993). Children's greater comfort with same-sex peers may be due to preference for types of play (Maccoby, 1988). Sex segregated social groups dominate and are perpetuated throughout childhood (Maccoby, 1990; Strough & Covatto, 2002), though there is evidence that children maintain cross-sex friendships (Gottman, 1994). Some researchers have suggested that the effects of childhood sex segregation last into adulthood (Leaper, 1994). An entire field of study has developed around the causes and effects sex segregation in children's social networks (McHale, Dariotix, & Kauh, 2006).
- what characteristics they have
- they do actually exist during this period (Gottman)
Research has focused on describing same versus cross sex relationships in terms of friendship yet less is known about cross sex relationships as they begin to take on a romantic dimension (Crosnoe?).
We know what opposite sex friendships look like during childhood - but do romantic undertones emerge during this period and if so, what might they look like?
Characteristics of Romantic Interest and Involvement
Yet how do children and preadolescents move from friendships to romances?
- Joyner, Udry, Carver stat for 12 year olds involvement during previous 18 months
- evidence that romantic interest and relationships are initiated during preadolescence
- Girls and boys as young as fifth grade spend a considerable amount of time thinking about the opposite sex (Richards, Crowe, Larson, & Swarr, 1998).
- qualities of friendship versus predicted qualities of romances - how do they differ, what can we expect romantic interest and relationships to look like during childhood
- Preadolescents are able to distinguish between romantic relationships and friendships with the opposite sex, attributing passion and commitment to romantic relationships while describing friendships as affiliative (Connolly, Craig, Goldberg, & Pepler, 1999).
- reciprocity - there for friendship but may become more common as children mature, in beginning have no requirements for reciprocity (crushes, infatuations with others or even those in the media)
- also have to consider that opposite sex relationships are inherently a dyadic process yet at this stage, it is more often conceptualized as one child liking another (one as the actor and the other as the unwilling/unchoosing recipient) - this is even how it is treated among children, children are teased for another child liking them, it is not considered a dyadic relationship
- There is also evidence that preadolescents report involvement in romantic relationships, though younger children were less likely to indicate reciprocated relationships (Carlson & Rose, 2007).
- comparisons between degree of emotionality
- dimension of attraction - describe what it would look like at this age (not sexual intercourse, but thinking someone is cute, holding hands, maybe stealing a few kisses, sitting next to each other)
- intimacy - key for older relationships yet less likely to be important or relevant to younger group
- how long does it have to last (example of "friends with money")
- does it have to adhere to a formal definition to fit? this is generally easier to apply if coming from studying older populations where they have more agency in choosing and carrying out plans, younger children and preadolescents may have fewer opportunities to establish formal relationships (e.g., posible in school or in social settings) yet they can't go on a date without assistance (implies parental approval) or exchange expressions of commitment (no $ or way to get these things)...so this leaves the definition as very restricted - could be flirting, etc...{what else?}
- what are the cognitions, emotions that preadolescents report feeling...how do they feel in a relationship, when they want one, if they want one, when one ends or is refused
- while opposite sex friendships may have more network support, may occur through playing together...what are the real differences...
- This transition (toward romantic relationships) parallels increasing pubertal development and satisfies preadolescents' increasing need for intimacy (Sullivan, 1953; Feinstein & Ardon, 1973).
{mash this and develop it and put it into the paragraph about differences between friend and romance} A greater understanding of the developmental processes that facilitate children and preadolescents' recognition of romantic interest and relationships with the opposite sex is needed. This increasing awareness of the romantic and sexual dimension of oneself marks the development of a romantic schema. The emergence of a romantic schema parallels when, how, and why children and preadolescents first become romantically attracted to and interested in members of the opposite sex. Boys and girls begin to understand what it means to "like" a boy or girl from an adult's perspective. They begin to see themselves as participants in the romantic and sexual domain of life. This is evident in their behaviors,which can include love letters, teasing, discussions with friends, or asking another to "go out" or be boyfriend and girlfriend. Romantic schemas may also play out in children and preadolescents' thoughts, expectations, and fantasies directed toward a members of the opposite sex. It is important to recognize that children and preadolescents' romantic schemas likely develop before the dating or romantic relationships that characterize adolescence are formally established.
Role of these relationships within context of normative development
Position of these relationships within normative development for this period
- some involvement,interest may be normative and health -
- role within the life course - provides training ground for later romantic involvement
- comparison to opposite sex friends, expected and viewed as a positive social development
- however can also have negative consequences - literature on early involvement
- by tracking patterns, may help in isolating individuals on a nonnormative (accelerated, nonexistant, unhealthy, etc) trajectory
Research Objectives
The purpose of this paper is to provide a baseline analysis of the emergence of interest and involvement in opposite sex relationships
based on the arguments made in this essay, sets the guidelines for how to proceed when studying this topic - what to expect, how to distinguish it from opposite sex friendships
- before any conclusions regarding the appropriateness of these relationships can be made, we must first describe the basic patterns during childhood and preadolescence
- simply need to track the patterns
- major objectives of this paper - tracking patterns involves two predominant objectives
- evaluate the measure of opposite sex relationships developed to measure romantic interest
- explore variation in romantic interest across individuals
- other objective - what might impact its development (family environment)
- investigate whether romantic interest in the opposite sex is influenced by family environment characteristics