Graduate Studies
"We Figured Out How to Fight": Couples' Identity Stories on Overcoming Disagreements
Abstract
dc:description.abstractIn this research, I examined couples’ small stories about overcoming a disagreement, while analyzing how they co-constructed a sense of relational identity in these tellings. I completed semi-structured interviews with seven couples who shared stories about what helped in resolving a past conflict, and what they learned from these overlooked successes. Using a narrative analysis framework, I analyzed the content of couples’ stories with Gubrium and Holstein’s (2009) concepts of linkage and composition, and identified narrative practices involved in constructing a sense of relational identity with Bamberg and Georgakopoulou’s (2008) small story approach. Couples identified strategies that helped resolve conflict and discussed the benefits of conflict resolution. I also reviewed how couples positioned their relationship and interacted in their “we” talk to “perform” relational identity. Lastly, I discussed the implications of these findings for couples, research, and counselling, particularly the influence questions have on inviting agentive relational accounts.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Science (MSc)
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Educational Psychology
- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- Graduate Studies
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2017
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Beech, Leah
- Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Strong, Tom
- Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
-
- Boon, Susan
- Wada, Kaori
Subjects
dc:subject × 1Rights
dc:rights- Statement dc:rights
-
- University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
- Language dc:language.iso
- eng
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/4074