University of North Dakota UND Scholarly Commons Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects 5-1-2004 Romantic Physical Affection and Relationship Satisfaction Across Romantic Relationship Stages Michael Talmadge Hill Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.und.edu/theses Recommended Citation Hill, Michael Talmadge, "Romantic Physical Affection and Relationship Satisfaction Across Romantic Relationship Stages" (2004). Theses and Dissertations. 3797. https://commons.und.edu/theses/3797 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects at UND Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UND Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. romantic Physical a f f e c t i o n a n d relationship SATISFACTION ACROSS ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP STAGES by Michael Talmadge Hill Bachelor of Arts, Saint Olaf College, 2002 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of North Dakota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Grand Forks, North Dakota May This thesis, submitted by Michael T. Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts from the University of North Dakota, has been read by the Faculty Advisory Committee under whom the work has been done and is hereby approved. Am y / Chairperson A ■r A f - 4 This thesis meets the standards for appearance, conforms to the style and format requirements of the Graduate School of the University of North Dakota, and is hereby approved. %— cMXFJ. Date is PERMISSION Romantic Physical Affection and Relationship Satisfaction Across Romantic Relationship Stages Department Counseling Degree Master of Arts In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree from the University of North Dakota, I agree that the library of this University shall make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for extensive copying for scholarly puiposes may be granted by the professor who supervised my thesis work or, in his absence, by the chairperson of the department or the dean of the Graduate School. It is understood that any copying or publication or other use of this thesis or part thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of North Dakota in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Signature ? 'L Date TABLE OP CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............ vu ACKNOW LEDGEM ENTS...................................................................... vri ABSTRACT............ ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................1 II. LITERATURE R EV IEW ................................................................................................ 4 Overview ................................................................................................................ 4 Touch and Normal Developm ent................................................................ ...A Healing Aspects of Touch........................................................................ 6 Meanings of Touch......................... ....................................................... ..........7 Touch and Intimacy....................................................................... .....................8 Gender Differences in Touching B ehavior.....................................................10 Theories of Love......... .............. ..12 Courtship and Mating Patterns...........................................................................14 Relationship Stages and Types.................. 15 Relationships and Touching Behaviors........... ...................................... 16 Multicultural Aspects of Physical Affection and Touch.......... ..................1.7 Physical Affection and Couples Counseling................ 18 Overview of Relevant Literature.................................. 21 Purpose o f Study........................................................................................ 23 Hypotheses T ested .............................................................................................. 24 Hypothesis l ............................................. 24 Hypothesis 2 ........................................................................ 24 Hypothesis 3 ................................................................................................ 24 Hypothesis 4 ........ 25 Hypothesis 5 ................................................................................................ 25 lit. M E T H O D ........................................................................................................................ 26 Participants................................................................................................. 26 M aterials................................................................................................................ 26 Demographic Form ................................................................................... 26 Relationship Assessment Scale...............................................................27 Physical Affection Behavior Scale.........................................................27 Procedure....................................................... ,.....................................................28 Independent Variables......................................................................................... 28 Dependent V ariables............................................................................................29 Data A nalysis................................ 30 IV. RESU LTS.........................................................................................................................33 Preliminary Analyses......................... 33 Hypothesis 1...................................... 33 Hypothesis 2 ....................................... 35 Hypothesis 3 .................................................................................................35 v Hypothesis 4. Hypothesis 5................................................... .38 V. DISCUSSION.................................................................... .39 Overview.................................................................. .39 Hypothesis 1............................................................. .39 Hypothesis 2............................................................. 4] Hypothesis 3............................................................. 4.2 Hypothesis 4 ............................................................. 43 Hypothesis 5............................................................. 43 Limitations............................................................... 44 future Research....................................................... 44 Implications for Counselors and Psychologists .. 45 Conclusion............................................................... .47 APPENDICES......................................................................... 48 Appendix A Consent for Participation............... 49 Extra Credit Participation Form.... .50 Appendix B Demographic Form.......................... .51 Appendix C Relationship Assessment Scale.... .53 Appendix D Physical Affection Behavior Scale .54 REFERENCES........................................................................ 64 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Descriptive Statistics of Scales bv Gender...............................................................34 2. Correlations Between RAS Score and Frequency of Sexual Physical Affection and Frequency of Nonsexual Physical Affection and Total Frequency of Physical Affection..................... 36 3. The Average Frequency of Physical Affection Across Relationship Stages......................................................................................... 36 4. The initiation of Physical Affection by Men and Women at Different Relationship Stages..................................................................................38 ACKNOWLEDGEM ENTS i would like to thank all of those people who made my personal growth during my time in North Dakota possible. S thank niv mother and father for their support and love, my brother for his support and most generous help with the statistics, and my sisters for their support and humor. 1 thank my thesis committee for their flexibility and knowledgeable input, and Tricia Hunter for her selfless contributions to my thesis. Thank you also to Andrew K. Guliedge for his input and suggestions. I thank my good friends (tom St. Olaf for their support and encouragement. Finally, I thank the staff at Bemidji State University Counseling Center for their support, and for making my internship there one of i.he best times of my life. ABSTRACT! This study examined the association between relationship satisfaction and romantic physical affection across three stages of romantic relationships (casual datmg, serious dating, committed) among 70 (40 men, 30 women) university students. Twenty- nine types of romantic physical affection were measured across frequency, initiation patterns, importance to relationship satisfaction and intimacy. Results suggest that relationship satisfaction is strongly correlated with the rrequency of romantic physical atfection.