ORIGINAL ARTICLE Modeling Serial Arguments in Close Relationships: The Serial Argument Process Model Jennifer L. Bevan 1 , Andrea Finan 2 , & Allison Kaminsky 2 1 Department of Communication Studies, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866 2 Department of Communication Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154 Though an emerging research area, serial argumentation has yet to be cohesively explored from a theoretical lens. The current project thus extends and updates Trapp and Hoff ’s (1985) original serial argument model by explicating and testing a theoreti- cal process an individual goes through immediately before, during, and after a serial argument episode. Specifically, perceived resolvability, serial argument goal importance, conflict tactics, rumination, and motivation to achieve goals are examined across romantic and family relationships in the serial argument process model. The proposed paths emerged generally as predicted and the model fit the data. The serial argument process model thus allows for a preliminary theoretical depiction of a serial argument episode enacted in a variety of close relationship contexts. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2008.00334.x Although ‘‘conflict is a common interpersonal phenomenon’’ (Cloven & Roloff, 1991, p. 134), it is conceptualized in much of the existing conflict research as being contained within one autonomous episode. Trapp and Hoff (1985) first described arguments that occur and recur in peoples’ everyday lives as serial episodes. These repetitive disputes, known as serial arguments, are defined as ‘‘a set of argumentative episodes that focus on a particular issue’’ (Johnson & Roloff, 1998, p. 329) and occur over time without complete resolution (Bevan et al., 2007). Because the key topic involved in the argument remains unresolved, it continues to resurface in future conflict with the same partner. Serial arguments often occur in romantic relationships because these relational contexts involve ‘‘frequent contact, substantial interdependence, extensive self- disclosure, and willingness to negotiate a unique relational rule structure’’ (Johnson & Corresponding author: Jennifer L. Bevan; email: bevan@chapman.edu An earlier version of this article was presented to the Interpersonal Communication Division at the 2007 annual meeting of the International Communication Association in San Fran- cisco, CA. This project is derived from a research project conducted in partial fulfillment of a graduate quantitative research methods class taught by the first author while at UNLV. Human Communication Research ISSN 0360-3989 600 Human Communication Research 34 (2008) 600–624 ª 2008 International Communication Association HUMAN COMMUNICATION research