Intimate Relationships

I had to purchase this book for one of my classes and I thought that I would be receiving some cheesy text about how men are from mars and women are from venus. This book is essentially the exact opposite of that. I would say that almost all of the information provided in the book is useful in my everyday life. It's an easy read, but goes into enough detail to really understand all the issues. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a refreshing read that actually has solid information on intimate relationships. I have taken a whole semester course on the psychology of love and this book covers it all. Well, almost. It's not written as an opinion piece, there is actual research that has gone into this text.

The book was a little more torn at the covers than expected but it could Still be used so overall it was ok

Sharon S. Brehm is a respected social psychologist who has composed a witty, fun, and insightful tome regarding the many fascinating contributions her field has made to the study of love relationships. Popular press books may or may not offer valid advice--they aren't relying on scientific research, but rather on opinions (which often conflict with the opinions found in still other books). Brehm offers her readers information that is reliable and valid, and perhaps most importantly, useful. Better still, her book is equally applicable for men and women. As a psychology professor and a consultant for individuals seeking their life mate, I read and use many books--texts and popular press--on this issue. Brehm's book is among my most trusted resources, and it gives readers the best of all worlds: excellent and engaging writing that is easily understood, information that is eminently useful, and solid research evidence rather than opinion alone. Should you live together? Does marriage really make people happier than if they had remained single? What attracts romantic partners? If you want "just the facts," this is the place to go for them. (If you want opinion-type popular-press books that support "the facts" and thus really do give good advice, I highly recommend "If I'm So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single?" by Susan Page, as well as "How to Find the Love of Your Life," by Ben Dominitz, "The Rules," by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider [note: "The Rules" are for women only], and "Mars and Venus on a Date," by John Gray.)

Confused about your conflicts with your significant other? Do you want to find out why people are attracted to some people but not others? Reading this book for my sociology class in college allowed me to better comprehend my own relationships. The book collects together social psychological research on intimate relationships, discussing such topics as attraction, sexuality, power, conflict, loneliness, and relationship development. Unlike other non-scholarly books written about relationships, this text is based on studies published by psychologists. Their conclusions can help you better understand your own relationships, but of course each individual person may differ from what sociologists generally conclude about human beings. Even though this book was written for psychology courses, the text is not too difficult to understand. This book is extremely interesting, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has been, wants to be, or is currently in a relationship - which is, basically, everyone