From Courtship to Situationship: Understanding the Rise of Relationship Ambiguity in Young Adulthood

While heterosexual relationships once followed a relatively linear path from courtship to marriage, contemporary relationship pathways have become less standardized and more ambiguous over time. This shift has contributed to the emergence of “situationships,” a liminal relational form in which partners are neither fully committed nor entirely casual. Although situationships have quickly become part of the popular lexicon, there has been little sociological synthesis of this emerging relationship type. This review seeks to explain why, and under what conditions, relationship ambiguity has emerged, with a particular focus on situationships. We argue that situationships reflect broader transformations in the social, cultural, and technological landscape of young adulthood. By tracing intimate relationships from courtship to situationship, we show how situationships emerge as a distinct relational form and consider what this shift means for today's young adults. We conclude by suggesting directions for future research and highlighting important data and methodological opportunities.