Daily experiences of intimacy: A study of couples

The present study examined people's working definitions of intimacy, which emerge through daily interactions that are perceived as intimate by the par ticipant. We proposed that working definitions should be reflected in a set of interaction characteristics that prompt relationship partners to label their interaction as intimate. Participants were 113 cohabiting couples who completed questionnaires and kept diaries of their interactions' for 1 wee k. Interaction characteristics explaining perceived intimacy were interacti on pleasantness, disclosure of private information, the expression of posit ive feelings, the perception of being understood by one's partner, and the disclosure of emotion. Further, more satisfied couples perceived their inte ractions as more intimate and showed stronger associations between interact ion intimacy and partner disclosure than did less satisfied couples. Findin gs indicated that couple characteristics are more salient than person chara cteristics as predictors of intimacy in interactions.