Abstract
This study presents an initial exploration and conceptualization of relational surprise experiences (RSEs) as communication phenomenon involving strategic relational maintenance behaviors with potential for positive and negative outcomes. University students in the Southeastern United States (N = 203) described a RSE that occurred with a close relational partner (romantic partner, friend, or family member), explained how deception was used to achieve the surprise, and reported relational benefits and drawbacks in an online survey. Seven types of RSEs were reported including gifts, events, visits, and destinations. Responses revealed that people considered surprises as relationally beneficial with minimal drawbacks. Although over one-third of the participants described their partner’s pants perceived the surprise as a violation of relational rules. Some participants reported both benefits and drawbacks to RSEs, thereby illuminating a nuance for traditional relational maintenance typologies. This study establishes a path to explore implications of RSEs for individual and relational satisfaction, happiness, and well-being.
Highlights
This study presents an initial exploration and conceptualization of relational surprise experiences (RSEs) as communication phenomenon involving strategic relational maintenance behaviors with potential for positive and negative outcomes
The purpose of this study is to explore the nature of RSEs, whether people perceive the behaviors used to carry out a RSE as deceptive and violations of relational rules, and to use relational maintenance research as a guiding framework to illuminate positive and negative outcomes of the RSEs
We propose RSEs as a form of relational maintenance that employs both positive and negative maintenance behaviors, which can result in relational benefits and drawbacks
Summary
This study presents an initial exploration and conceptualization of relational surprise experiences (RSEs) as communication phenomenon involving strategic relational maintenance behaviors with potential for positive and negative outcomes. A surprise from a relational partner might add excitement, create novelty, and increase closeness, but the behaviors used to enact the surprise might violate relational rules, produce uncertainty, or raise questions about a partner’s trust These surprise experiences, likely carry implications for individual and relational satisfaction, happiness, and well-being. The purpose of this study is to explore the nature of RSEs, whether people perceive the behaviors used to carry out a RSE as deceptive and violations of relational rules, and to use relational maintenance research as a guiding framework to illuminate positive and negative outcomes of the RSEs. The goal of the current study is to lay the conceptual groundwork and provide initial understandings about RSEs. Relationship maintenance refers to communicative behaviors that people say or do to keep their relationship in existence, in a specific state, or in a desired condition (Dindia & Canary, 1993). We propose RSEs as a form of relational maintenance that employs both positive and negative maintenance behaviors, which can result in relational benefits and drawbacks
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