The concept of the "situationship" has taken culture by storm. Apparently, romantic relationships and their close cousins, friends with benefits and being in the friendzone, leave a lot of people scratching their heads about their relationship status. Things aren't clear-cut anymore.
Writer Carina Hsieh popularized the term "situationship" (Cosmopolitan, 2017) to describe romantic-sexual relationships without a clear nature. Two people can be hanging out but not dating, going out or going steady. Labels like "partner" and "significant other", let alone "boyfriend" and "girlfriend", are awkward at a time when heteronormative conventions are strenuously questioned. Hence, the term "situationship" has come into favor, especially with Gen Z but gaining wider appeal, in an attempt to define an undefined relationship.
Given all the buzz, I was excited to interview family scientist Mickey Langlais about a recent study he and colleagues published in the journal Sexuality & Culture (2024), "Defining and Describing Situationships: An Exploratory Investigation". Dr. Langlais is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Sciences and Design in Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University. He studies romantic relationships, child development, and family dynamics, specifically how technology contributes to developmental and relationship processes.
GHB: What is a situationship?
ML: According to our research, situationships are romantic relationships that involve spending time together and engaging in physical and sexual activity, but there is no label and commitment is low. Applying Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, these relationships are often represented best by romantic love, meaning that individuals are close and engaged in intimate activities, but they do not develop........