Different Types of Relationships
interact with. Friends are people we trust, respect, care about
An interpersonal relationship refers to the association,
connection, interaction and bond between two or more people.
There are many different types of relationships. This section
focuses on four types of relationships: Family relationships,
Friendships, Acquaintanceships and Romantic relationships.
Family Relationships
Our family, or relatives are people we are connected to
through some form of kinship, whether it is through blood
(such as with parents, brothers and sisters), marriage (such as
non-blood aunts and uncles or step-parents) romantic
relationships (such as a parent’s girlfriend or boyfriend) or
adoption. Family includes siblings and parents who you may
see every day growing up, and other relatives such as cousins,
aunts, uncles and grandparents who you may not see quote so
frequently.
Families come in many different forms, for example single-
parent families, step families, homes with gay and lesbian
parents etc. Ideally, people should have strong relationships
with their families, although this does not always happen.
They should feel love and closeness for their relatives, and be
able to confide in them and discuss personal things. A key role
of parents and older relatives is to offer guidance, support and,
where needed, boundaries and discipline. As families are so
close and spend so much time together, arguments and
disagreements can arise, but in most families, these are short-
lived and even in moments of anger or hurt, families still love
and care about each other.
Family relationships are ideally life-long, although as children
become teenagers and then adults, it is usual for them to have
more independence and for the parental relationship to
become less one of guidance and more one of mutual support.
Sometimes as children become teenagers and adults, there can
be an increase in arguments and conflicts with parents as the
growing child tries to assert their independence and find their
adult identity. This is perfectly normal and often calms down
once the teenage years have passed. It is important to have
strong communication with family members as, if a healthy
relationship is nurtured, a family can be a lifelong source of
support. The bond with a family can play a very important role
in personal wellbeing and the ability to form other kinds of
relationships outside of the family unit such as friendships and
romantic relationships. In some families, there is little physical
contact whereas in others, it is common for family members to
express affection by means such as hugging, kissing on the
cheek or forehead, patting the head or tousling the hair, patting
on the back etc. It is common for babies and younger children
to be carried or held.
Friends
Friends are people who we are not related to but choose to
and feel that we can confide in and want to spend time with. A
good friendship should be built on honesty, support and
loyalty. A friendship is a reciprocal relationship; for it to exist,
both people must see each other as a friend. There are varying
degrees of friendship. You may find that you feel closer to
some friends than others. This is perfectly normal. Some
friends, especially if they have only been known for a short
time or are not seen very often, may not be appropriate to
confide in about personal issues or concerns. You may find
that you feel more comfortable and able to confide in friends
whom you have known for longer or spend more time with.
Friends who are very close and know each other well are
sometimes referred to as “best friends”.
Some people have many friends, while others may only have
one or two. There is no right or wrong number of friends to
have and everyone is different. Good friendships are mutually
respectful and supportive and share common interests and
ideas. While some friendships can be close and some friends
choose to greet each other by hugging or kissing on the cheek,
other friendships may have no physical contact, or may simply
shake hands. Physically intimate or romantic contact is not
appropriate in a friendship.
Acquaintances
Acquaintances are people you may encounter regularly, but
who are not friends or relatives. For example, they may be a
neighbour who lives in your road that you say “hello” to if you
see them in passing, or a work colleague or someone you have
seen a few times at a social event but do not yet know well. It
is important to be polite and respectful to acquaintances as
having harmonious relationships with people around you, such
as work colleagues, people from college, neighbours etc is an
important way of avoiding stress or conflict. In some cases,
relationships that start as acquaintanceships can, over time,
evolve into friendships as you get to know the person better
and see them more frequently. The level of contact with an
acquaintance is minimal. There is unlikely to be any physical
contact (although in a work setting, or when being introduced
to someone, you might occasionally be required to shake
hands), but the main form of contact is likely to be smiling and
saying ‘hello’.
Romantic Relationships
A romantic relationship is one in which you feel very strongly
attracted to the other person, both to their personality and,
often, also physically. This is reciprocated by the other person
in the relationship. A romantic relationship is that which exists
between a boyfriend and girlfriend (in a heterosexual
relationship) or a boyfriend and boyfriend or girlfriend and
 girlfriend (in a homosexual relationship) or spouses (in a 4. Known for expressing opinions
marriage) or life partners (in a civil partnership or long-term 5. Other’s feelings are overlooked in light of resolving a problem
unmarried relationship). People in a romantic relationship will 6. History of bickering with family
7. The tendency to be repetitious during arguments
see each other very often and when apart my frequently stay in
8. Hard to resist pointing out other’s mistakes or errors
contact, for example by phone. Some people in romantic 9. Strong willed
relationships live together. A romantic relationship is the 10. An outburst is not proportional to the event
closest form of relationship and the two people involved will 11. Throws things when angry
often describe themselves as being attracted to each other 12. Give advice without others asking for it
and/or “in love”. They feel an incredibly strong connection 13. Can be physical intimidating
and bond to each other that they do not feel with anyone else, 14. Hits during a disagreement
even close friends, and the bond is also exclusive and
Passive-Aggressive:
monogamous. Successful Romantic relationships are built on
love ,trust, respect, support, acceptance, shared interests and a
1. When frustrated, become silent knowing it irritates others
desire for the two people involved to share their lives together.
2. Sulks and pouts
Some people in relationships may choose to have children. As 3. Uses biting sarcasm to deflect
this is such a close relationship, various kinds of physical 4. Procrastinates with undesirable projects
contact are accepted which would not be appropriate in any 5. When frustrated, lies and says everything is fine
other kind of relationship. These include prolonged cuddling 6. Avoids responsibility by claiming forgetfulness
and holding, kissing on the lips and sexual intercourse, 7. Deliberately evasive so others leave alone
however it should still mutually agreed. 8. Approaches work projects half-heartedly
9. Stares straight ahead when confronted
Sometimes arguments and disagreements occur in romantic 10. Intentionally missed deadlines
11. Blames others for mistakes
relationships. In strong relationships, these arguments can be
12. Complains about others behind their back
overcome through effective communication, understanding 13. Sabotages unwanted projects
and compromise, but in other cases, especially if there are 14. Refuses to do a favor knowing this will irritate
frequent arguments, the two people involved my decide to
terminate the relationship. Relationships can be of varying Suppressive:
duration. In some relationships, it quickly becomes apparent
that the two people involved are not compatible and do not 1. Doesn’t like others knowing personal problems
want to spend their lives together, and so the relationship may 2. When frustrated, portrays as having it all together
end after only a few months. In other cases, the two people 3. Impatient about little things
may be together for many years or may stay together for the 4. Reserved about sharing problems
5. Won’t admit to being angry
rest of their lives.
6. Won’t mention when others have said something upsetting
7. Depressed and moody
8. Lives on the edge of exploding
9. Resentful thinking but never spoken
Anger is expressed in one of four ways. Three out of the four
10. Physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach, sleep
types are unhealthy manifestations: aggressive, passive-
problems
aggressive and suppressive. While only one, assertive is
11. Wonders if opinions are valid
healthy. Most people remain consistently in one or two
12. When confronted, feels paralyzed
categories depending on the circumstances. For instance, a
13. Avoids conversations about sensitive subjects
person might be aggressive at home (because they are more
14. Erupts rarely and is quickly embarrassed
comfortable) but suppressive at work (because aggression is
not tolerated).
By contrast, the assertive checklist can be used to highlight
appropriate expressions of anger and new ways of addressing
The goal of anger management is to move a person from conflict. It might seem unnatural at first but the end result of
unhealthy expressions of anger into healthy communications. stronger interpersonal relationships is worth a bit of
But this is difficult without accurately defining the harming discomfort.
behaviors. Use this list to identify unhealthy anger expressions
in major relationships (spouse, parent, and child) and differing
environments (home, work, and school). Assertive:

Aggressive: 1. When frustrated, expresses it without blaming others

2. Doesn’t make threatening or intimidating remarks
3. Is honest about feelings of anger without being forceful or
1. When frustrated, can be direct and forceful meek
2. The voice becomes louder when angry 4. Seeks to resolve conflict mutually
3. When confronted, there is a quick rebuttal
5. Addresses sensitive subjects without insisting on being right
6. Accepts responsibility for mistakes
7. Willingness to forgive and leave other’s mistakes in the past
8. Times confrontations so as to minimize the intensity
9. Confronts others kindly and gently
10. Listens to other opinions without becoming angry
11. Is respectful
12. Sees the value in differing opinions
13. Posture is neutral, not threatening or retreating
14. Gains more trust after the confrontation
1. Laugh: Laughter really is among the best forms of
medicine. Studies have shownthat laughter can improve our
health in multiple ways, including by lightening our mood,
relieving tension, and improving our cognitive function. It can
also change our outlook on life, make us more creative and
resourceful, and make us more open to friendly relationships
with other people. I hope you have someone in your life who
can make you laugh. But you can always work on making
yourself laugh, too, and you might entertain someone else in
the process. And if all else fails, try YouTube.
2. Walk: Exercise in general is good for our mental health,
and walking is great. And for reasons scientists don’t
completely understand, walking in naturespecifically is
especially good for our brains. Try going for a walk each day,
either as part of your exercise routine or for a quick head-
clearing stroll. Get outside for it if you can. And by the way,
some studies have shown just being in nature, walking or not,
is very good for our brains. So get out there!
3. Be grateful: Gratitude is good for our mental health.
It changes the way our brains function. It brings discipline to
our thoughts, and it redirects our attention to thought patterns
that are good for us rather than destructive.
It reducesdepression, envy, frustration, regret, and other
negative emotions that work against us. It can literally change
our minds. So count your blessings. If you make the effort,
you’ll never run out of things to be grateful for.
4. Pray: For people who believe in God and the power of
prayer, it can’t seem particularly surprising that studies would
show prayer is good for us. When we connect with God, turn
our attention to his love for us, express trust in him, renew our
perspective, and receive God’s comfort, of course we’re going
to experience a kind of nurture and help we can’t receive
anywhere else. Prayer in community, and on behalf of others,
can also strengthen the sense of support and connection in our
relationships with other people—which are also good for us.
But in case you had any doubts, research does indeed
show that prayer can reduce depression, stress, and anxiety
and is good for our overall health. And prayer doesn’t have to
be hard. We don’t have to come up with anything profound to
say. It doesn’t even require words. The Bible tells us, “The
Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we
ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
through wordless groans” (Rom. 8:26). So when prayer feels
hard, just bring yourself before God.
5. Eat well: Most of us readily accept the idea that eating well
is good for our bodies. But it’s common to overlook the effect
our diet can have on our minds. More and more studies are
showing links between nutrition and mental health. So eat
consistently, eat healthy foods, and pay attention to what
seems to feed you well, body and mind.
6. Sleep well: Sleep and mental health have an intertwined
relationship—a problem with one causes problems with the
other. Mental health problems can disrupt our sleep patterns,
and sleep problems can cause mental health dysfunction. It’s
important to consistently go to bed at a healthy hour and get a
full, restful sleep (seven to nine hours for most adults). And
this can be especially critical for people who have some kind
of struggle with their mental health. If you experience a sleep
problem, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor. Sleep
disruptions can be indicators of a mental health problem or
other health issues.
7. Do something difficult: Hard work (as long as it’s balanced
with other health-supporting activities) can be very good for
us. And meeting and overcoming challenges is a great way to
support our mental health. It helps us develop mental strength
and confidence, learn (which is good for us), and tap into new
or dormant internal resources. So consider tackling something
that is going to challenge your mind.
8. Face your fears: When you feel fearful or anxious, your
mind and body may tell you the best thing you can do is avoid
what scares you. But the truth is, our fears grow larger as we
avoid them. And psychologists know the best way to deal with
anxiety is to face the things that scare us and push through our
reactions to them. Counterintuitive as it may seem, this can be
a healing process. If necessary, seek support for this process in
the form of someone who specializes in fear, anxiety, and
possibly exposure therapy. And remember you’re never alone.
God promises you the same thing he promised his ancient
people: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be
dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help
you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa.
40:10).
9. Go to church: Research has shown that people who
regularly attend religious services experience fewer problems
with depression and other psychiatric problems. This makes
sense when you think about it: nurturing our spiritual nature
lifts the other elements of who we are, just as caring for our
physical or emotional health has an impact on every other
aspect of our well-being. Attending services keeps us in
contact, and perhaps in nurturing relationship, with a
community of people. It fosters a sense of meaning in our
lives. And it reminds us that we have hope in God when we
are feeling hopeless. The apostle Paul instructed us all to
“encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thess.
5:11), and we can’t do that on our own. When we gather with
God’s people, we strengthen ourselves against the
discouragement that can come from getting stuck in our own
heads. Oh, and one more thing: the more often people attend
religious services, the lower their risk for substance abuse,
which is highly correlated with mental health problems—
which brings me to another point.
10. Stay clean and sober: Many people with mental health with legal and political norms and sanctions.” Turner. Drama,
problems also have problems with substance abuse. In fact, Fields, and Metaphors, 237.
substance abuse and addiction is itself a category of mental
disorder. For people needing emotional or mental relief, drugs Social Structure:. Relatively stable systems of social
and alcohol can seem like a good idea. They might seem relationships and opportunities in which individuals find
helpful. But they always make things worse. And substance
themselves and by which they are vitally affected, but over
abuse can actually cause mental health problems in some
cases, particularly in people who use drugs in their youth. If which most of them have no control and of the exact nature of
you struggle with a mental health problem or you’re which they are usually unaware.” Greenfield. Nationalism, p.
experiencing emotional difficulties, resist the temptation to 2.
turn to drugs or alcohol for help or escape. I promise you will
only dig yourself in deeper if you go down that road. And if
you already have this pattern in your life, please recognize that
your mental health is unlikely to improve unless you also
receive help for substance abuse. Seek help from a “dual
diagnosis” program that treats both.

11. Do something constructive: Start or restart a hobby. Get

involved in a service project. Read. Learn about a new topic.
Help someone else with a project. Help a kid with homework.
Studies have shown such activities can be great for our overall
health and can have specific benefits for our mental health.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE: Structure refers to the pattern within

culture and organization through which social action takes
place; arrangements of roles, organizations, institutions, and
cultural symbols that are stable over time, often unnoticed, and
a changing almost invisibly. Structure both enables and
constrains what is possible in social life. If a building were a
society, the foundation, supporting columns, and beams would
be the structure which both constrains and enables the various
2 kinds and arrangements of spaces and rooms (roles,
organizations, and institutions). Schemata and resources
(material and human) through which social action takes place,
becomes patterned, and institutionalized. Incorporates both
culture and the resources of social organization.

Social structures have a dual character, defined as composed

simultaneously of schemas, which are virtual, and of
resources, which are actual. Schemas function as fundamental
tools of thought… not the formally stated prescriptions but the
informal and not always conscious schemas, metaphors and
assumptions presupposed by such formal statements. Schemas
are the effects of resources, just as resources as the effects of
schemas. William Sewell 1992.

Social structure. The organized set of social relationships in

which members of the society or group are variously
implicated. Patterned behavior and relationships. “The
patterned arrangements of role-sets, status-sets, and
statussequences can be held to comprise the social structure.”
Merton, Social Theory and Social Structure. p. 370.

“Social Structure. Patterned arrangements of role-sets, status-

sets, and status sequences consciously recognized and
regularly operative in a given society and closely bound up