Turning Point Analysis

The Meaning of Relationships

What events are steeped in meaning for relational partners? Some of this is idiosyncratic. However, Catherine Surra (along with her colleagues) has identified four major categories of turning points in romantic relationships. First, there are interpersonal/normative turning points. These events lead relational partners to evaluate their relationship against those of other couples or of a societal standard. This may happen once a couple hits their one-year-anniversary, for example. Second, there are dyadic turning points. These moments reflect the specific interactions relational partners experience, such as their first fight or their first sexual encounter. Third, there are social network turning points. These are moments of change involving people outside of the dyad, such as a trip to meet a partner’s parents. Finally, there are circumstantial turning points. The locus of these points is outside of the couple, but reverberates within the relationship. Circumstantial turning points might include a change in employment status or witnessing a disaster like 9/11.

Other researchers have sought out specific turning points that apply in romantic relationships as well as in other types of relationships. These turning point categories help us to understand how meaning is created within interpersonal relationships, as well as offer heuristic value. Which life events cause us to re-evaluate our relationships? How do these moments form patterns in the process of relating?

The Process of Relationships

It is notable that turning point analysis reflects a process view of relationships that differs significantly from stage theories of relationships. Whereas some relationship researchers believe that people pass through different thresholds or steps in a linear and incremental process turning points are more erratic and less predictable. They reflect a relational view that emphasizes intermittent moments of change in relationships. These changes can be in multiple variables associated with relational quality such as intimacy, commitment, or satisfaction. This series of shifts up or down can be looked at together to paint a picture of a couple’s relational path.

Although it is impossible to review all possible trajectories for interpersonal relationships while looking at the turning points on all relational outcome variables there are a few general patterns worth noting.[Page 1796] First, there are turbulent relationships where there is a high amplitude of change in the relationship, meaning that movement at turning points is substantial. There are also relationships where the amount of change in the relationship at each turning point is relatively low, or stagnant. There are relationships that are punctuated often by turning points, and others where partners report turning points occurring infrequently. There are relationships with a high ratio of positive turning points in relation to negative turning points, and there are relationships in which the converse is true. You can imagine how relational life might feel and proceed differently in relationships with each of these different types of turning point patterns.

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