Setting the Scene for Exploring the LATT Couples: Seminal Studies

The 3rd chapter reviews chronologically seminal scientific studies in intimacy and distance over the last four decades, divided into four emerging themes. Firstly, “So far, yet keeping so close” explores relationship maintenance through an expanded approach, highlighting adapting to cycles of departure, absence, and return (Stafford, 2005). In today's digital age, intrapersonal and dyadic activities are significant for maintaining relationships, including synchronous strategies such as phone, video, and beyond (Belus et al., 2019). The second theme, “Emotions and fulfillment,” discusses emotional reflexivity (Holmes, 2014) and how social and mental spaces’ are more important than physicality (Lindemann, 2019). The third theme, “Commitment,” relates to autonomy and relatedness and an absence of 'structural investments' which leads to suspicion from those around. The fourth theme, “Sexual intimacy,” focusses on changing sexual norms and gender differences. Lastly, different terms denoting intimacy and distance are critically discussed, and a new term–living apart together transnationally–LATT proposed.