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Although much has been written about the problem of fusion in relationships, especially among lesbians, there is little evidence of its prevalence in the nonclinical lesbian community or information about the function it may serve in lesbian relationships. This study examined the frequency of fusion in lesbian and heterosexual women's relationships and the relationship of fusion to other relational variables. The study found that there were no differences between lesbian and heterosexual women's levels of fusion and that fusion was strongly related to both satisfaction and dependence.two women together is a work nothing in civilization has made simple (Rich, 1978, p. 35) In the growing body of literature on the nature of conflict in lesbian relationships, researchers have often focused on the balance of power between female partners. For example, Renzetti's (1989) contention that dependence is a correlate of abuse resembles the characterization of the interpersonal dynamics of lesbian relationships in much of the literature on merging or fusion (terms that are used interchangeably in the psychological literature and in this article). Fusion is frequently identified as a source of conflict in lesbian couples, yet articles on fusion often Downloaded from fail to define the word conflict or to investigate the possibility that it encompasses behaviors other than normal healthy arguing.This article explores the role of fusion in women's relationships. First, it reviews the affect of socialization on lesbian relationships. Then it presents not only the authors' study of the frequency of reported fusion among lesbians and heterosexual women, but also it illustrates other relational characteristics that are related to fusion.

Increasingly, therapists and researchers have focused attention on domestic violence in lesbian relationships. To date, however, most research has described the incidence and types of physical violence and abuse. The present study sought to explore predictors of domestic violence in lesbian relationships. Lesbian participants filled out a survey measuring physical violence and physical aggression as well as relational and personality variables. Results indicated that lesbians do report some degree of domestic violence, characterized more often by physical aggression than by physical violence. Physical aggression was best predicted by fusion, followed by self-esteem and independence. For physical violence, however, control was the most important predictor, followed by independence, self-es-

Twenty left-handed and 20 right-handed subjects were found to differ significantly in their preferences for the left-right arrangement of words and pictures in advertisements. The right-handers preferred the picture to the left of the text, while left-handers had no overall preference, but showed a wider range of individual variation. The results are interpreted as demonstrating an influence of hemispheric specialization on everyday aesthetic preferences.

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