Ch. 9 Flashcards
changes in adolescent romance
1970s: characterized by ‘dating’
-former rules followed (set time and date, parental permission, being home by curfew)
now: less structured
-‘seeing someone’ or ‘hanging out’ has replaced ‘dating’
-know e/o as friends and spend unstructured social time w/ e/o before becoming romantically involved
-adolescents can be found in mixed-gender groups > alone on a date
reasons teens give for having relationships
recreation
-learning
-status
-companionship
-intimacy
-courtship
age and gender differences
younger adolescents motivated by recreation, intimacy and status
-older adolescents motivated by intimacy and recreation, but not status
-girls list interpersonal qualities as what they’re looking for at all ages
-boys initially list phys. qualities and progress to being motivated by interpersonal qualities in later adolescence
-by late high school, boys and girls are interested in: support, intimacy, communication, commitment and passion
-boys are more likely to be proactive (initiating contact), while girls are more likely to be reactive, but more assertive in initiating than they used to
benefits of romantic relationships vs. friendships
involve more intense emotion, including pos. (love, joy) and neg. (anxiety, sadness)
-more likely to involve sexual activity and being cared for by companion
drawbacks of romantic relationships vs. friendships
restricting social freedom, emotional vulnerability, and more conflict
Sternberg’s 3 features of love relationships
1) passion
2) intimacy
3) commitment
passion
phys. attraction and sexual desire, as well as intense jealousy, anxiety, anger and delight
intimacy
feelings of closeness and attachment, including understanding, support and exclusive communication
commitment
pledge to love someone over long haul, through ups and downs, persisting through fluctuations in passion
Sternberg’s 7 love forms
1) liking
2) infatuation
3) empty love
4) romantic love
5) companionate love
6) fatuous love
7) consumate love
liking
intimacy alone, most similar to friendship
infatuation
passion alone, physiological and emotional engagement
empty love
commitment alone, together but disengaged
romantic love
passion and intimacy, “in love” but fleeting
companionate love
intimacy and commitment, family but lacking passion
fatuous love
passion and commitment, ‘silly’ whirlwind romance
consummate love
passion, intimacy and commitment; the ideal