User:Njameskangal12

Wikipedia Project Step Two The revised version of the “intimate relationships” Wikipedia article will include citations for the paragraphs that define intimate relationships, intimacy, developing intimacy, cognitive and experiential intimacy types, and physical and emotional intimacy. I will add recent empirical studies that investigate broader topics of intimacy, such as the developmental sequence of intimacy and cultural effects on intimacy (Seepersad, Choi, & Shin, 2008; Seiffge-Krenke, 2003). However, I will also include research studies examining specific factors related to intimacy. For example, research suggests that people generally believe that their intimate partners have a salutary impact on their health (Markey, Markey, & Gray, 2007). Another factor that is related to intimacy is curiosity, in that curious people are more likely to initiate a social interaction with a stranger, resulting in greater feelings of intimacy (Kashdan, McKnight, Fincham, & Rose, 2011). I also found several articles that consider the role of the internet in developing intimacy which I feel would be a salient topic to today’s readers (Elphinston & Noller, 2011; Scott, Mottarella, & Lavooy, 2006). Specifically, one article examines the possibility of virtual intimacy, as inspired by the trend in online dating (Scott et al.). The researchers do find support for the existence of the fifth dimension of intimacy, virtual intimacy, though it is not as strong as other types such as emotional intimacy. The other article examining the relationship between the internet and intimacy focuses on the negative consequences of Facebook intrusion on the intimate relationship (Elphinston & Noller, 2011). Together these articles will strengthen the broad information on intimacy, as well as bring to light new empirical studies on factors related to intimacy.

Njameskangal12 (talk) 13:34, 11 November 2013 (UTC)