Interpersonal relationship

===Theories and empirical research===

====Confucianism====
[[Confucianism#Relationships|Confucianism]] is a study and theory of relationships, especially within hierarchies.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.iep.utm.edu/confuciu/ |title=Confucius |publisher=Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy |first=Jeff |last=Richey |work=iep.utm.edu |year=2011 |access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> Social harmony—the central goal of Confucianism—results in part from every individual knowing their place in the social order and playing their part well. Particular duties arise from each person's particular situation in relation to others. The individual stands simultaneously in several different relationships with different people: as a junior in relation to parents and elders; and as a senior in relation to younger siblings, students, and others. Juniors are considered in Confucianism to owe their seniors reverence and seniors have duties of benevolence and concern toward juniors. A focus on mutuality is prevalent in East Asian cultures to this day.

====Minding relationships====
The mindfulness theory of relationships shows how closeness in relationships may be enhanced. Minding is the "reciprocal knowing process involving the nonstop, interrelated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of persons in a relationship."<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Harvey JH, Pauwels BG | date = 2009 | chapter = Relationship Connection: A Redux on the Role of Minding and the Quality of Feeling Special | title = Enhancement of Closeness | veditors = Snyder CD, Lopez SJ  | series = Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology | edition = Second | location = Oxford | publisher = Oxford University Press | pages = 385–392 }}</ref> Five components of "minding" include:<ref name=snyder>{{cite book | vauthors = Snyder CR, Lopez SJ | date = 2007 | title = Positive psychology: the scientific and practical explorations of human strengths | url = https://archive.org/details/positivepsycholo00c | url-access = limited | location = Thousand Oaks, California | publisher = [[SAGE Publications]] | pages =  [https://archive.org/details/positivepsycholo00c/page/n325 297]–321 | isbn = 9780761926337 }}</ref>
# Knowing and being known: seeking to understand the partner
# Making relationship-enhancing attributions for behaviors: giving the benefit of the doubt
# Accepting and respecting: [[empathy]] and social skills
# Maintaining reciprocity: active participation in relationship enhancement
# Continuity in minding: persisting in mindfulness