Assignment: What Makes A Marriage Work?

To Prepare:

• View the video segments Making Relationships Work: Parts 1–4, featuring John Gottman.
• Select either your own romantic relationship (either previous or current) or a romantic relationship that you know well (parents, siblings’ marriages, etc.) for this Assignment.
• Review at least 2 other scholarly articles by researchers other than John Gottman on intimacy and marriage in adulthood.

The Assignment (3–4 pages): Provide an analysis of the relationship through the lens of developmental research. Specifically, use the following guidelines:

Analysis of Gottman Research

• Briefly describe the relationship you selected. Explain positive aspects of the relationship as well as challenges.
• Provide an analysis of this relationship through Gottman’s research.
• Explain factors that contribute to relationship satisfaction according to Gottman. What links to his research can you identify for social development in adulthood in general and this couple specifically?
• What advice would Gottman give to the couple you selected based on his research?

Analysis of Other Intimacy Research

• Use your 2 identified scholarly articles that examine romantic relationship dynamics. Explain factors that contribute to relationship satisfaction according to these articles. What links to his research can you identify for social development in adulthood in general and this couple specifically?

Comparison of Research

• Finally, explain how these different researchers’ contributions give us unique insight into relationship dynamics.W