From the moment of birth to the moment of death, peoples' lives are intermingled and survival is determined by personal relationships. Those with strong ties live longer and in better health than people who are lonely or isolated. Yet scholarship has rarely considered personal relationships across the entire life span. This edited volume integrates research on people's relationships from childhood to later adulthood. Chapters look at specific types of relationships as well as at the functions that underlie them such as the way people think about relationships and their emotional reactions as well as their motivation for relationships.