[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-136590-105":59,"doc-detail-136590-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","testing-relational-turbulence-theory-in-friends-with-benefits-relationships","Testing Relational Turbulence Theory in Friends with Benefits Relationships","","This research applies relational turbulence theory (RTT) to friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs), comparing them with exclusive romantic relationships (ERRs). The study first examines how RTT’s generative mechanisms—relational uncertainty and perceptions of interdependence—differ across relationship types, then tests RTT propositions in the FWBR context using structural equation modeling (SEM). FWBR participants report higher relational uncertainty and lower interdependence. SEM results show partner uncertainty predicts lower satisfaction, partner interference predicts perceived turmoil, and both satisfaction and turmoil relate negatively to avoiding relationship discussions.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/testing-relational-turbulence-theory-in-friends-with-benefits-relationships/136590/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/testing-relational-turbulence-theory-in-friends-with-benefits-relationships/136590.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Rizky","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-22","2026-08-22",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How does relational turbulence theory explain negative experiences in relationships?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It frames turbulence as a persistent evaluation of a relationship as tumultuous, arising from accumulated episodes, driven by mechanisms such as relational uncertainty and partner interdependence.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What key differences does the study find between FWBRs and exclusive romantic relationships?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"FWBR participants perceive significantly higher relational uncertainty and significantly lower perceptions of interdependence than people in exclusive romantic relationships.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"In FWBRs, which factors are most linked to relationship satisfaction and turmoil?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Partner uncertainty significantly and negatively relates to relationship satisfaction, while perceptions of partner interference positively relate to perceptions of turmoil.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},136590,1787389545,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":34,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":129,"read_time":144},962085564807,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","# Testing Relational Turbulence Theory in Friends with Benefits Relationships\n\nJames B.Stein  \nColter D.Ray  \nLisa J.van Raalte  \nPaul A.Mongeau  \nThis research applied the tenets of relational turbulence theory(RTT)to friends with benefits relationships(FWBRs).The first part of this study explored how RTT's generative mechanisms (relational uncertainty andperceptions of interdependence)differ between FWBRs and exclusive romantic relationships(ERRs).The secondportion of this study tested the propositions of RTT in the unique context of FWBRs by using structural equationmodeling (SEM).Results showed that FWB participants perceive significantly higher levels of relationaluncertainty and significantly lower perceptions of interdependence,than people in ERRs.The SEMmodel revealedthat,in FWBRs,only partner uncertainty significantly and negatively relates to relationship satisfaction.Similarly,perceptions of partner interference positively related to perceptions of turmoil.Both relationship satisfaction andturmoil negatively associated with avoiding relationship discussions.Results are discussed in terms of theoreticaldevelopment.  \nRelational uncertainty(Knobloch &Solomon,1999)and interdependence(Berscheid,1983)have longinterested communication scholars and represent integral components of relational turbulence theory(RTT:Solomon,Knobloch,Theiss,&McLaren,2016).Researchers have applied the tenets of RTT to numerousrelationship types and contexts(e.g.,Knobloch &Theiss,2010;Solomon &Theiss,2008;Theiss &Knobloch,2014),but scholarship has yet to explore RTT in friends with benefits relationships(FWBRs),which are noted fortheir particularly uncertain and transitional nature(Knight,2014).  \nAt its core,RTT assumes elevated relational uncertainty and perceptions of interdependence heighten theemotional and cognitive responses to otherwise mundane events(Knobloch,Miller,&Carpenter-Theune,2007;Knobloch &Solomon,2002).These heightened responses relate to the amount and valence of communicationepisodes (Solomon et al.,2016).FWBRs operate under highly uncertain conditions (Knight,2014)in whichinterdependence is present(Green &Morman,2011).Although,FWBRs are an increasingly popular relationshiptype(Afifi &Faulkner,2000;Bogle,2008)they have received little theoretical attention.Relational turbulencetheory is an appropriate frame to uncover the nuances of turbulence in FWBRs as well as to differentiate turbulencein FWBRs from exclusive romantic relationships(ERRs).  \n# Relational Turbulence Theory\n\nRelational turbulence theory attempts to explain the ways that people think,emote,and communicate duringnegative relational conditions.Solomon et al.(2016)define turbulence as a “global and persistent evaluation of therelationship as tumultuous,unsteady,fragile,and chaotic that arises from the accumulation of specific episodes”(p.12).Turbulence often emerges as a couple experiences relational or personal transitions,such as courtship(Knobloch et al.,2007),post-deployment in military couples(Theiss &Knobloch,2014),or the transition to empty-nest parenthood (Nagy &Theiss,2013).Two generative mechanisms contribute to couples'negative outcomes inRTT:relational uncertainty and partner interdependence.These mechanisms act in tandem,both directly andindirectly influencing cognitions and emotions (Knobloch &Theiss,2010;Theiss,Knobloch,Checton,&Magsamen-Conrad,2009).  \nJames B.Stein received his PhD from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University.Colter D.Ray(PhD,Arizona State University,2018)is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication and a CoreResearcher in the Center for Communication,Health,and the Public Good at San Diego State University.  \nLisa J.van Raalte(PhD,Arizona State University,2017)is an Assistant Professor in the Department of CommunicationStudies at Sam Houston State University.  \nPaul A.Mongeau (PhD,Michigan State University,1988)is a Professor and Associate Director of the Hugh Downs Schoolof Human C","cbCaiizta2qxYRSG","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiizta2qxYRSG","pdf",6365365,13,"English","# Testing Relational Turbulence Theory in Friends with Benefits Relationships\n## Relational Turbulence Theory\n## Relational Uncertainty\n## Interdependence","[{\"question\":\"How does relational turbulence theory explain negative experiences in relationships?\",\"answer\":\"It frames turbulence as a persistent evaluation of a relationship as tumultuous, arising from accumulated episodes, driven by mechanisms such as relational uncertainty and partner interdependence.\"},{\"question\":\"What key differences does the study find between FWBRs and exclusive romantic relationships?\",\"answer\":\"FWBR participants perceive significantly higher relational uncertainty and significantly lower perceptions of interdependence than people in exclusive romantic relationships.\"},{\"question\":\"In FWBRs, which factors are most linked to relationship satisfaction and turmoil?\",\"answer\":\"Partner uncertainty significantly and negatively relates to relationship satisfaction, while perceptions of partner interference positively relate to perceptions of turmoil.\"}]","Testing Relational Turbulence Theory in Friends with Benefits Relationships | PDF",33]