Harold H. Kelley

The Atlas of Interpersonal Situations provides a systematic theoretical account for understanding the impact of situations on patterns of social interaction. Structured around descriptions of twenty-one of the most common situations that people encounter in everyday life, the authors aim to provide readers with the tools needed to understand how those situations influence interpersonal behavior. These descriptions are intended to be freestanding, each one providing analysis, research examples, and everyday descriptions of the prototypical situation. The authors build upon the tools of interdependence theory, which stresses the manner in which people's outcomes are determined by the structure of their interaction with each other. This analysis makes clear exactly what is 'social' about 'social psychology'.

The Atlas of Interpersonal Situations provides a systematic theoretical account for understanding the impact of situations on patterns of social interaction. Structured around descriptions of twenty-one of the most common situations that people encounter in everyday life, the authors aim to provide readers with the tools needed to understand how those situations influence interpersonal behavior. These descriptions are intended to be freestanding, each one providing analysis, research examples, and everyday descriptions of the prototypical situation. The authors build upon the tools of interdependence theory, which stresses the manner in which people's outcomes are determined by the structure of their interaction with each other. This analysis makes clear exactly what is 'social' about 'social psychology'.

When W. H. Freeman originally published this book in 1983, the scientific study of relationships was in its childhood. 'Relationship science' has since become an established endeavor in psychology, sociology, and other social and behavioral science disciplines—complete with its own organizations, journals, book series, handbooks, and sourcebooks. A lengthy new introduction by Ellen Berscheid and Harold Kelley documents the evolution of the field. From the Introduction to the Percheron Press Edition . . . '[W]e speak for all of the authors of Close Relationships when we express our great pleasure in seeing our book back in print again, for we believe its republication reflects the growing importance of the relationship field. We also believe its key messages are as sound and relevant today as they were at the time of the book’s initial publication nearly two decades ago.'

First published in 1982. This book summarizes certain concepts and evidence regarding the nature of close personal relationships. Its purpose is to suggest how such relationships are to be conceptualized for scientific analysis. What are the essential properties of a personal relationship? What are its necessary defining structures and processes? The material presented herein represents what Kelley has thought and learned about the social psychology of close relationships.