A RESEARCH NOTE ON POST-DATING RELATIONSHIPS - THE SOCIAL EMBEDDEDNESS OF REDEFINING ROMANTIC COUPLINGS

This is an exploratory, descriptive study of relationship redefinition . Using symbolic interaction theory, this paper examines the contours of post-dating relationships, asking the following questions: 1) how d o people orient themselves to one another after a dating relationship ends?; and, 2) what is the power dynamic between one's social network and his or her post-dating relationship? Using a snowball sample (N = 30), interview data are analyzed as narratives about the respondents' construction of post-dating relationships. Until recently, research ha s focused on postdivorce relationships and has characterized these as maladaptive (Weiss 1975; Spanier and Casto 1979; Berman 1985). This st udy joins recent research which suggests that relationships between fo rmer spouses or lovers may satisfy legitimate needs such as friendship , shared history, and extended social networks (Metts, Cupach and Bejl ovec 1989; Aydintug 1995).