HOT on Relationships

No one would deny any piece of juicy information or gossip, spread by the word of mouth. I have been subscribing to HOT magazine for awhile now (God knows what it stands for but it sure is hot). I first saw it on the racks of a random 7-11 store, and saw it was only $2.90! Reasonable price for a whole lot of sneakpeaks into any celebrity life. It really comes up with great issues every month so do grab your own copy if you love all that gossip, heh heh heh.

As our instructor touched on interpersonal relationships this week, I would like to share with you an article of which I have found very interesting. Here's a quick synopsis - According to British reports, Emma Watson a.k.a Hermoine Granger has apparently purchased her own home, a 3 million (in pounds, duh) townhouse just a stone's throw from her father's house. Here's the catch, she's moved her boyfriend, Jay Barrymore, in with her! 

So keeping this in mind, I am going to point out some information and tie them in with the concepts which we've learnt so far.

To start, the very first issue which struck me was the age gap between Watson and Barrymore. Watson is 19 and Barrymore is 26. That's about 7 years difference! I'm not generalizing, but majority of us would prefer to date someone who has about one or two years' difference. This brings in the idea of competency during their relational formation and development stage - Watson has starred in the Harry Potter series 8 years ago and has become a well-known superstar (and superbeauty) since. Thus, her ability to shine and excel as an actress serves as a form of attractiveness which Barrymore likes and sees. To be dating someone famous and competent in the acting industry can be seen as a blessing; it is a form of status elevation and fame, which is what B. has right now.

Secondly, the very fact that B. has agreed to move in with Emma into her North London townhouse implies that their relationship is well into the maintenance process. According to the source of the article, "B. has been dating Emma for 16 months and has reportedly made himself at home." Hence, their decision to move in together shows that they are closing the gaps of distance and autonomy. In other words, intimacy and connection are what they have in mind in order for the relationship to progress smoothly. This comes as no surprise since most Americanized societies have this culture of setting up a home with their potential partners just to see how things go, and at the same time encouraging closer bonds. As such, I would daresay that the maintenance process is one by which a couple decides if they are going to stay with each other for a lifetime.

Lastly, Mark Knapp's Model of Relational Development can also be used in this context to further accentuate my point. Now that you are more familiar with the article, you might agree with me that Emma and B. are in the fifth stage of coming together - bonding. This word means formalizing obligations and commitments. According to a similar source, "Emma's relationship with Jay is going from strength to strength and that they are spending increasing amounts of time with each other. In addition, it makes perfect sense for Jay to leave some of his stuff at hers and see how it goes." As mentioned before, moving into a house together could mean a bright future prospect. Furthermore, it could be a very last step until we hear wedding bells a-ringing.

So kudos to Emma for being able to take such an exciting time both personally and professionally, hopefully this decision will reap all its desirable benefits! :)