A casual relationship, or casual dating, is a physical and emotional relationship between two people who may have a sexual relationship or a near-sexual relationship without necessarily demanding or expecting the extra commitments of a more formal romantic relationship. Motives for casual relationships vary. There are significant gender and cultural differences in acceptance of and breadth of casual relationships, as well as in regrets about action/inaction in those relationships.
A casual relationship may be part-time, or for a limited time, and may or may not be monogamous. In each case, the relationship's dominance in the lives of those involved is being voluntarily limited, and there is usually a sense that the relationship is intended to endure only so long as both parties wish it to.
A casual relationship differs from casual sex, which has little or no emotional element, and from a one-night stand, as the relationship extends beyond a single sexual encounter. To the extent such relationships include casual sexual contact, the relationship is generally focused on fulfilling sexual desires rather than romantic or emotional needs.
Casual relationships sometimes include mutual support, affection and enjoyment, which underpin other forms of loving relationship.
In the U.S., casual relationships are often referred as "friends with benefits", as popularized by the namesake movie Friends with Benefits in 2011.
Read more about Casual Relationship: College Students, Casual Sex
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