Setting Boundaries in Your Romantic Relationship
Signs that you may want to set relationship boundaries and how to do it.
Posted February 28, 2026 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley
Relationships are regulated by rules and expectations about how to act, which define what is expected and appropriate behavior within the relationship. Rules, or boundaries , are believed to serve several functions, including regulating behavior and facilitating trust and cohesion in the relationship.
Relationship research has shown that there are implicit and explicit rules in romantic relationships as well as a hierarchy of boundaries, where some boundaries are given more importance. For example, research participants generally report infidelity as a more serious boundary violation, whereas not respecting a boundary related to time spent on hobbies was less serious.
Signs that setting or changing boundaries in your relationship would be helpful include:
Boundaries can help build security and trust, and having security and trust also makes it easier to set, implement, and respect boundaries.
How to Set Helpful Boundaries
West, A. E., & Fallon, B. J. (2005). Rule-setting and rule-breaking: A conceptual model of rules and expectations in romantic relationships. Proceedings of the Australian Psychological Society , 143 , 143.
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Jennifer Caspari, Ph.D. , is a registered/licensed clinical psychologist working at Tall Tree Integrated Health in Vancouver, BC. She is the author of You Are More Than Your Body.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.