The stages of relationship development typically include five key phases: initiation, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, and bonding. In the initiation stage, individuals meet and make first impressions. The experimenting stage involves getting to know each other better through conversations and shared activities. As the relationship deepens, the intensifying stage occurs, where emotional connections strengthen. This is followed by the integrating stage, where partners begin to merge their lives, and finally, the bonding stage, characterized by a formal commitment, such as marriage or partnership. Each stage builds on the previous one, fostering deeper connections.