Attraction & close Relationships

Question 1

Reinforcement affect model

Answer 1

= we like people who are around when we experience a positive feeling which itself then is reinforcing
 Feelings are basically conditioned
 Automatic activation (Fazio) of attitude that are associated with cues

Question 2

Social exchange theory

Answer 2

= liking for another person in determined by calculating what it will cost to be reinforced by that person (cost-reward ratio – give-and-take relationship)
 Minimax strategy: try to minimise costs and maximise rewards with hope for profit
 Comparison level: standard against which we compare and judge our relationships
o Develops over time with experiences
o Relationship will be considered satisfying (profitable) when better than comparison level
 Equity theory: people are happiest in relationship when both partners believe that they give and take approximately equally. People expect resources to be given out fairly in proportion to their contribution = equitable
o Distributive justice: fairness of outcome

Question 3

Making relationship work

Answer 3

 Partners have to adapt and modify expectations for each other
 Being together for integrated, intrinsic reasons
 Personal dedication: positive attraction to particular partner and relationship
 Moral commitment: sense of obligation/ social responsibility
 Constraint commitment: factors that make it costly to leave the relationship (social/financial/legal investments)
 General commitment: desire to stay together
 Trust is essential: lack is associated with insecure attachment style
 Forgiveness: process not an act