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Article published In: Narrative Inquiry
Vol. 35:1 (2025) ► pp.1–25

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Love, actually

Cultural narratives expressed in emerging adults’ stories of romantic relationships

ORCiD logo with link | University of Missouri
ORCiD logo with link | University of Missouri
ORCiD logo with link | Emory University
Published online: 10 November 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ni.23001.lev
Abstract
Individuals create both personal and culturally shared meaning through narratives; however, sparse research has explored the specific ways in which individuals might use such cultural narratives in creating meaning from developmentally important experiences. In this study, we examine how emerging adults narrate positive romantic relationships, both because emerging adulthood is critical for the development of intimacy and because romantic relationship narratives are pervasive in cultural media. Thematic analysis of 31 narratives from mostly European-descent students attending a private liberal arts university in the Southeast US (mean age 19; 16 self-identified females) revealed three major narrative arcs, Love Grows, Firecrackers and Fairytale, which varied in coherence, coda, and mutuality of the relationship, but did not differ by gender. Further examination and discussion of these narratives suggest how emerging adults are making sense of their first romantic relationships in ways that inform efforts to educate and intervene to promote healthy and positive relationships.
Article outline
  • Introduction
    • Narratives and narrative identity
    • Cultural narratives of romance and intimacy
    • Emerging adulthood, intimacy and narrative
    • The current study
  • Method
    • Procedures and participants
      • Selection of narratives for this study
    • Data analysis
  • Results and discussion
    • Love grows
      • Expression of core love grows metaphor
      • Coda
      • Mutuality
      • Love grows: Secondary arcs
    • Firecrackers
      • Expression of core firecrackers metaphor
      • Coda
      • Mutuality
      • Firecrackers: Secondary Arcs
    • Fairytale
      • Expression of core fairytale metaphor
      • Coda
      • Mutuality
      • Fairytale: Secondary Arcs
    • Infrequent narrative arcs: Safe haven and forbidden fruit
    • Double codes
  • Conclusions
    • Limitations
    • Practical implications and future directions
  • References
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