Resumen de Relational dialectics and management strategies in marital couples
Angela Hoppe-Nagao, Stella Ting-Toomey
This study explores dialectical contradictions in marriage and identities the communication strategies used to manage the dialectical tensions. Qualitative analysis of transcripts from separate semi-structured interviews with husbands and wives focused on two dialectical contradictions: autonomy-connection and openness-closedness. Themes of the autonomy-connection dialectic included contradiction, togetherness, independence, and confort. Themes of the opennes-closedness dialectic inclused were perception of shared intimacy, fear of vulnerability, and desire for increased interaction. Communication strategies used to manage the autonomy-connection dialectic were activities segmentation, time segmentation, reframing, interaction climate, compromise, and exclusive selection. Communication strategies used to manage the openness-closedness dialectic were topic alternation, time alternation, withdrawal, probing, anti-social behaviors, and deception. They essay discusses how these findings both support and extend previous research
