CONCEPTS OF ROMANCE IN 15-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENTS

Early romantic experiences are believed to play a central role in the development of the self and intimacy, although little work exists on t he nature of romance in early to middle adolescence. This study examin es White, middle class 15-year-olds' descriptions of their dating part ners and romance. As expected, the majority of the sample had dating e xperiences that were brief in duration, although they were intense in terms of frequency of contact. Affiliative more than attachment qualit ies characterized these adolescents' conscious views of romance. Girls were more likely to mention interpersonal qualities, and boys were mo re likely to mention physical attraction when describing romantic rela tionships.