Relationship satisfaction

Relationship satisfaction is a person’s evaluation of how positively a relationship meets their needs and expectations. It reflects perceived quality and fulfillment, not simply whether the relationship continues.

Investment model of commitment: A theory that explains commitment through satisfaction, investments in a relationship, and the quality of alternatives. It distinguishes satisfaction from commitment and shows how both shape decisions to stay.
Relationship quality: A broad assessment of how well a relationship functions across dimensions such as intimacy, conflict, and support. Satisfaction is one evaluative dimension within broader assessments of relationship quality.
Gottman method: A couples therapy approach based on research into interaction patterns associated with relationship stability and distress. It applies findings about conflict and connection to assessment and couple interventions.
Relationship stability: The persistence of a relationship over time, regardless of its quality. A relationship can remain stable without being satisfying, or end despite substantial satisfaction.
Interdependence theory: A framework for analyzing how each person's outcomes depend on the choices and outcomes of others. It explains how partners evaluate relationship rewards and costs in relation to alternatives.
Commitment: An intention to maintain a relationship and a psychological attachment to its continuation. Commitment may persist even when satisfaction is low, so the two are not interchangeable.
Emotionally focused therapy: A therapy approach that helps couples recognize and reshape patterns of emotional disconnection and insecurity. It targets interaction cycles that can erode closeness and relationship fulfillment.
Loneliness: Distress arising from a perceived gap between desired and actual social connection. Loneliness can coexist with a romantic relationship and does not directly measure its quality.
Equity theory: A theory that links perceived fairness in exchanges to satisfaction and behavior in relationships. Perceived imbalance in contributions and benefits can lower relationship evaluations.
Intimacy: A sense of closeness built through self-disclosure, understanding, and emotional responsiveness. Intimacy can contribute to fulfillment but is only one aspect of satisfaction.

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