Many people think of intimacy when they think of “close” relationships, but there are important distinctions between being close to someone and being intimate. A close relationship is built on the characteristic of interdependence, whereas an intimate relationship includes closeness as well as a physical or sexual bond. In this way, people can be close to their coworkers or friends without being intimate with them. Psychologist Jayson Dibble from the University of Hawaii created a measure to assess the quality of close relationships along three dimensions: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral interdependence. The uniqueness of Dibble’s approach is in how it focuses on how a person feels about the relationship.
Read the full article here: How to Make Your Close Relationship Closer
