Cognitive and Affective Facets of Ambivalence in Romantic Relationships

Why do love and doubt so often walk hand in hand?In this book, the complex interplay of intimacy, autonomy, commitment, uncertainty, and feelings of love and anger is brought to light. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research with young adults in India, it uncovers how ambivalence—those moments of being torn between closeness and space, autonomy and dependence, love and hate, certainty and doubt—shapes the very fabric of modern relationships.Blending psychological, sociological, and cultural perspectives, the book redefines ambivalence not as a flaw to be overcome but as a natural, even essential, part of human connection. It explores how partners think, feel, and behave when torn, and how these tensions influence love, conflict, and relationship stability.Timely and deeply relevant, this work offers fresh insight into the hidden dilemmas of love in a rapidly changing world. For researchers, students, and anyone who has wrestled with the paradoxes of romance, it provides a nuanced lens for understanding the beauty and challenges of ambivalent ties.