Interpersonal relationships are connections between two or more people. These connections are shown in how people behave and interact with each other. In psychology, a two-person relationship is when two people’s feelings, thoughts, and actions are connected and affect each other. In this type of relationship, three important aspects are considered (Jowett & Shanmugam, 2016):
1. Closeness: This is about the emotional bond between people, like mutual respect, trust, appreciation, and liking each other.
2. Commitment: It’s the idea of wanting to maintain a close relationship over time, staying connected and accessible to each other.
3. Complementarity: This is when people cooperate and respond to each other’s actions in a friendly and supportive way, taking on different roles like leaders and followers.
In the field of psychology, the “3Cs framework” is used to understand these complex relationships. It helps to measure and study relationships in sports, business, and education. For example, in sports, the quality of the relationship between coaches and athletes has been studied using this framework (Jowett, 2009; Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004). It has been found that a good coach-athlete relationship is linked to both performance and well-being (Jowett & Shanmugam, 2016).
Conflict and communication are also closely related to relationships. Conflict is seen as a normal part of any relationship, but it can be an opportunity for growth and progress. Communication is considered the engine that drives relationships, influencing how close, committed, and complementary people are with each other.
Jowett, S. (2009). Factor structure and criterion validity of the meta-perspective version of the coach-athlete relationship questionnaire (CART-Q). Group Dynamics: Theory, Research and Practice, 13, 163 177.
Jowett, S., & Ntoumanis, N. (2004). The coach – Athlete relationship questionnaire (CART Q): Development and initial validation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 14, 245 257.
Jowett, S., & Shanmugam, V. (2016). Relational coaching in sport: Its psychological underpinnings and practical effectiveness. In R. Schinke, K. R. McGannon, & B. Smith (Eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Sport Psychology (pp. 471 484). London: Routledge.
