Happy Couples Lynne Namka, Ed. When two people join their lives to be together in relationship, they bring along their deepest values as to what they hold dear in the world. There are fundamental differences in the values of people.
Some values are a strong part of the person's personality make up and are resistant to change.
Some couples are even attracted to each other because at first they value their partner's different ways of looking at the world. After the honeymoon phase of the relationship, conflict comes up when there are noticeable difference in values of the couple. Part of the problem is often due to unrealistic expectations for the relationship. It is a sad fact that Americans have set up such high standards for their relationships. In our society, some people expect to get all of their emotional needs met within the relationship.