Ch.10: Relationships Flashcards
The marriage rate in Canada is ____________, which is significantly changing the landscape of close partnerships
declining
Marital or cohabitating satisfaction tends to follow a __________ curve
U-shaped
High in the beginning, declines during the child-rearing years & then increases again after the children leave the home
There’s evidence that marital satisfaction continues to grow into older adulthood except in cases where
one partner gets sick & there’s a lor of caregiver burden
In this perspective on long-term relationship, people prefer long-term relationships to maximize their positive affect
Socioemotional selectivity theory
In this perspective on long-term relationship, relationships are evaluated according to costs and benefits.
- as long as the benefits outweigh the cost, you stay with the relationship.
- when the cost outweigh the benefits people will abandon that relationship
Social exchange theory
In this perspective on long-term relationship, balance is sought between what each contributes to the relationship.
Ex: if one partner is contributing money to the relationship & the other is contributing time, there can be balance
Equity theory
In this perspective on long-term relationship, couples who are similar are happier
Similarity
In this perspective on long-term relationship, couples who are different are happier
Need complementarity
In this perspective on long-term relationship, the behaviors couples engage in affect their relationship satisfaction
Ex: if both partners express affection, then it increases the chance of satisfaction
Behavioral approach
Grey Divorce (silver splitters)
- on the rise
- divorce in those over 50 years after approximately 20 years or more of marriage
What accounts for the increase in grey divorce?
- people are living longer, they don’t wanna wait out their lives in unhappy marriages
- less stigma now
- women are less economically dependent on men than they used to be
TRUE or FALSE
Widowhood becomes more common with older age
It can also impact one’s friendship group (thirdwheel, etc.)
TRUE
Spousal loss can have profound consequences on physical & mental health, & also on social connections
Nanno & colleagues in 2002 did a perspective study to 200 widows. What are the findings?
- They found that majority of widows showed resilient grief. This means that they did not show a lot of distress.
- Others showed depression before & after the chronic grief, hopelessness, apathy
- This demonstrates that people vary in their reactions to widowhood
Anniversary reactions
- the annual echo of a trauma or a loss.
- this could be on the anniversary of the person’s death, or the anniversary of the day you get married, or your first date or birthday.
- may continue for up to 35 years or longer
In 2015, there were over 1 million widowed women and fewer than 300,000 widowed men. Why?
- women tend to have older partners
- the pool of available men means women are less likely to re-partner after widowhood
- men seem to suffer more negative emotional consequences of spousal loss than women, which may motivate them to re-partner
- It takes men much longer to return to their previous state of well-being than it does for women. Unless they get remarried
TRUE or FALSE
In Canada, around 5% of those >65 years are single and never married
TRUE
Stereotypes of being single throughout life
What are the findings in Greitemeyer (2008) study?
- They found that both female and male single individuals were rated as more neurotic, less satisfied with their lives, less sociable, lonelier, and having lower self-esteem than those individuals in partnerships
Having __________ over singlehood seems to make a big difference. Those who chose to be single seem more content and satisfied than those who ended up being single due to circumstances beyond their control
choice
The number of friendships over the lifespan tends to ____________, but their importance remains for men and women alike
decrease
3 different friendship styles
- Independent- friendly with people but don’t have close friends
- Discerning- a few close friends that they have forever
- Acquisitive- easily making new friends & keep them- they have lots of friends
Wat is the primary goal for older adults in terms of friendships?
Emotion regulation
Older adults favor quality relationships over quantity of relationships
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST)
- When time is perceived as expansive, individuals will prioritize information-focused goals
- When time is perceived as limited, individuals will prioritize emotion-related goals
When time is running out, we don’t want to waste it on people or activities that lack meaning. So we’re more choosy about who we spend our time with, favoring quality over quantity.
What are the 2 functions of relationships?
- Informational function- decreases with aging due to time running out
- Affective function- increase with aging due to time running out
Selection of _____________ in older age is related to better regulation of emotions
friends
We keep those people in our lives who make us feel good
Sandwich generation (Miller)
- refers to middle-aged caregivers who are sandwiched between caring for their own children and their aging parents.
- associated with negative outcomes, such as increased rates of depression, decreased well-being, job burnout, and failure to meet obligations at work
Boomerang children
those who return home after having already moved out
5 Grandparenting styles
- Formal grandparent
- Fun seeker
- Surrogate parent
- Reservoir of family wisdom
- Distant figure
Formal grandparent
- follow what they believe to be the appropriate guidelines of a grandparent, including providing occasional services and maintaining an interest in the child without becoming overly involved
Fun Seeker
- emphasizes leisure aspects of the role and primarily provides entertainment for the child
Surrogate parent
- a grandparent who takes over the caretaking role for the child. These family are often referred to as skip generation families and may occur for a variety of reasons, including substance abuse by parents, child abuse, or neglect by parents
Reservoir of Family Wisdom
- usually a grandfather, is the head of the family who give out advice and resources but also controls the parent generation
Distant figure
- has infrequent contact with the grandchildren and appear only on holidays and special occasions
What are the reasons for having a skip generation household?
- substance abuse by parents
- child abuse or neglect
- teen pregnancy
- parent illness
- incarceration
Being a great-grandparent is an important source of __________ and __________ renewal
personal and family
In Canada, it’s estimated that between 4-10% of older adults are abused in some manner, with ________ and __________ becoming the most common
neglect and financial abuse
What factors likely make it difficult to detect, prevent, & treat elder abuse?
- financial dependence on family
- cognitive impairment
This is a type of elder abuse
Failure through own action or inaction (or that of others) to meet basic needs
Neglect
This is a type of elder abuse
Improper use of another person’s resources for personal benefit
Exploitation
This is a type of elder abuse
Intentional use of force that results in injury, pain or impairment
Physical abuse
This is a type of elder abuse
Actions that threaten, humiliate, intimidate or otherwise psychologically hurt someone
Emotional abuse
This is a type of elder abuse
Rape or unwanted, nonconsensual sexual contact, nudity, exhibition and other sexual situations
Sexual abuse
Signs of elder abuse
- seems depressed, confused, or withdrawn
- isolated from friends and family
- has unexplained bruises, burns, or scars
- appears dirty, underfed, dehydrated, over- or undermedicated, or not receiving needed care for medical problems
- has bed sores or other preventable conditions
- recent changes in banking or spending patterns
Risk factors for elder abuse
- Ageism/negative attitudes towards older adults, substance abuse (of the abuser), mental health problems, caregiver burden, and a cycle of family violence
- being a recipient of long-term care increases vulnerability because of greater frailty, cognitive impairment, & dependency
