A developmental model of intimacy and date request explicitness

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Abstract
This article presents a perspective emphasizing developmental changes in explicitness that assimilates contradictory findings in prior research regarding the association between intimacy and the explicitness of requests. Affection for a partner and social closeness are distinguished as unique aspects of intimacy, and the impact of affection for a partner on explicitness is argued to vary with the development of closeness within a relationship. In addition, a curvilinear association between intimacy and explicitness is derived. The results of a study of date request behaviors were consistent with the predicted associations between intimacy and the overall explicitness of date request conversations. Intimacy was not related to the use of particular explicit or implicit request utterances. The discussion highlights issues relevant to continued research on intimacy, explicit communication, and the development of dating relationships.