This qualitative study was conducted to investigate how subordination and superiority emerges in the interaction between heterosexual couples between 20 to 30 years old, without children. Eight semi-structured interviews with four couples have been conducted to provide insight into how subordination and superiority is made in the interaction between the cohabiting couples. All interviews were transcribed and then manually categorized along specific main themes and sub themes. The empirical data were then assayed by a hermeneutic interpretation.   Three previous studies have formed the basis for this study, Det kallas kärlek by Carin Holmberg, the anthology, Jämställdhetens pris and Familjer i tiden by Christine Roman and Helen Peterson. The theoretical framework consists symbolic interactionism, and especially the concept of asymmetrical role-taking and also doing gender. By using these theories, we can gain knowledge about the interaction between the pairs. We have also enlisted the aid of the theory doing gender to gain an understanding of how household distribution of the pairs look like.   The analysis of the empirical material showed that the majority of the women were the initiator in the relationship, with regard to housework and leisure. It was also in the female and male informants' statements that the primary responsibility for the division in terms of housework was on the women. In this way, one can, using the theory of asymmetric role- taking, identify the subordination of the woman in the relationship.

Individer har ett grundläggande närhetsbehov som bara kan uppfyllas genom varaktiga relationer, samtidigt är det i dagens samhälle vanligt förekommande med separationer. I Sverige har det dessutom visat sig att sambopar separerar i hög utsträckning. Föreliggande studie tillämpar ett kvalitativt, fenomenologiskt förhållningssätt och syftar till att skapa förståelse för vilka upplevelser individer som avslutat ett samboförhållande har om hur det sociala utbytet mellan partnerna uttrycktes och påverkade förhållandet. Med social utbytesteori, social resursteori och rättviseteori som teoretiska utgångspunkter intervjuades tio respondenter som har avslutat ett samboförhållande. Resultatet visar att respondenterna i aspekten av tid upplevde sig vara bortprioriterade samt att tiden som spenderades tillsammans upplevdes vara utan kvalitet. I aspekten av kärlek upplevde respondenterna att det var viktigt att uttrycka kärlek genom symboliska gester men att det inte uttrycktes tillräckligt i förhållandet. Respondenterna upplevde sig även vara missgynnade i aspekten av både tid och kärlek på grund av upplevelsen av att ge mer i båda aspekterna än vad respondenten fick tillbaka av sin partner. / Every individual have a basic proximity need that can only be fulfilled through long lasting relationships, despite this proximity need it is very common with dissolutions of relationships in today’s society. It has also been proven that cohabiting couples in Sweden separate to a large extent. Present study applies a qualitative, phenomenological approach with the purpose to create an understanding of what experiences individuals who have ended a cohabiting relationship have about how the social exchanges between the partners was expressed and affected the relationship. With social exchange theory, social resource theory and equity theory as theoretical framework, ten respondents who have separated from a cohabiting relationship were interviewed. The results show that the respondents were, in the aspects of time, perceived to be out of priority and that the time spent together was found to be without quality. In the aspects of love, the respondents felt that it was important to express love through symbolic gestures, but that it was not expressed enough in the relationship. The respondents also felt underprivileged in the aspects of time and love because of the experience of giving more in both aspects than what was given in return.