People are often drawn to one another because they share similar beliefs, values, interests, tastes, habits, goals, or backgrounds. This similarity can lead to feelings of safety, security, comfort, and familiarity, which can facilitate openness, honesty, vulnerability, and trust - all components of emotional closeness. Emotional closeness is a sense of connection that develops through time, effort, and mutual understanding. It allows partners to be themselves without fear of judgment, reprisal, or rejection.
When people experience relational conflict, they may feel hurt, rejected, disappointed, angry, frustrated, sad, anxious, confused, helpless, unappreciated, misunderstood, unloved, or unworthy. These negative emotions can interfere with communication, compromise cooperation, reduce empathy, increase defensiveness, and escalate conflict.
When people feel emotionally close to their partner, they tend to be more tolerant, forgiving, compassionate, supportive, encouraging, and motivated to work through disagreements. The resulting feelings of validation, acceptance, love, appreciation, belonging, and commitment promote healing and reconciliation.
Emotional closeness provides psychological distance from other sources of stress, strain, or anxiety.
During times of financial instability, health crises, career changes, family issues, or relationship challenges, couples who are emotionally close often rely on each other for strength, stability, and coping mechanisms. This shared support helps them to navigate difficult situations together, minimizing the impact of external factors on their relationship.
Emotional closeness fosters intimacy and sexual satisfaction. When two individuals share deep feelings of attachment, trust, affection, passion, and pleasure, they experience a sense of physical and emotional connection that is both gratifying and fulfilling. In fact, research suggests that greater emotional closeness between partners predicts higher levels of marital and sexual satisfaction over time. Therefore, promoting emotional closeness in relationships may help to buffer against relational conflict while also enhancing overall happiness and well-being.
How does emotional closeness buffer against relational conflict?
Emotional closeness is an essential element of any successful relationship. It helps individuals feel comfortable around one another and allows them to share intimate details about themselves with their partner. When partners are emotionally close, they feel safe enough to express their thoughts and feelings openly, which can help reduce tension in a relationship.