Chapter 9 Part 4

Question 1

“why do we love”

Answer 1

according to evolutionary theories, we love to increase our chances of reproduction, thereby ensuring the survival of our species. According to the attachment theory, we learned lessons about how worthy we are of love from our primary caregiver, and those lessons determine whether we seek loving relationships as well as determine the quality of those relationships.

Question 2

social exchange theory

Answer 2

the theory that how people feel about a relationship depends on their perceptions of the rewards and costs of the relationship, the kind of relationship they deserve, and the probability that they could have a better relationship with someone else.

Question 3

according to the social exchange theory, how happy you are in your relationship is based on the ________ ratio

Answer 3

reward cost ratio.

Question 4

comparison level

Answer 4

peoples expectations about the levels of rewards and costs that they deserve in a relationship.

Question 5

comparison level for alternatives

Answer 5

people’s expectations about the level of rewards and costs they would receive in an alternative relationship. people with a low comparison level for alternatives will be more likely to stay in a costly relationship because even though what they have is not great, they don’t think they could find anything better our there.

Question 6

investment model

Answer 6

the theory that people’s commitment to a relationship depends on their 1) satisfaction with the relationship in terms of rewards, costs and comparison levels;

2) their comparison level for alternatives; AND
3) how much they have invested in the relationship that would be lost be leaving.

the greater the investment individuals have in a relationship, the less likely they are to leave, even if satisfaction is low and alternatives are available.

Question 7

equity theory

Answer 7

the theory that people are happiest with relationships in which the rewards and costs that a person experiences and the contributions that he or she makes to the relationship are roughly equal to the rewards, costs, and contributions of the other person.

an inequitable relationship is when one person is feeling over benefited, or underbenefitted.

Question 8

T/F: according to the equity theory, both the under benefited and overbenegited partners should feel uneasy about the state of affairs

Answer 8

true.

Question 9

why should the over benefited individual want to give up what social exchange theory indicates is a cushy deal – lots of rewards for little cost?

Answer 9

people will eventually feel uncomfortable or even guilty if they get more than they deserve in the relationship.

Question 10

does equity theory operate in long term relationships the same way it does in new or less intimate relationships?

Answer 10

not exactly. in intimate relationships, we trade very different resources, and it can be difficult to determine whether equity has een achieved. long-term intimate relationships are less tit-for tat.

Question 11

interactions between new acquaintances or casual friends are governed by equity concerns , and are called ___ relationships

Answer 11

exchange relationships. relationships governed by the need for equity. in exchange for relationships, people keep track of who is contributing what and feel taken advantage of when they feel they are putting more into the relationship than they are getting out of it.

Question 12

interactions between close friends, family, and romantic partners are governed less by exchange relationships. rather, they are considered ___ relationships

Answer 12

communal relationships. relationships in which people’s primary concern is being responsive to other person’s needs.

Question 13

critical feature of communal relationships

Answer 13

the perception that the other person will repsond to one’s needs with behaviours that communicate understanding and caring. we expect our partner to provide support during bad times but also to rejoice with us when good things are happening in our lives. we feel disappointed and unhappy when close relationship partners fail to behave in communal ways

in communal relationships, we believe that we will eventually balance our and a rough kind of equity will be achieved over time.

Question 14

how does commitment effect the AFFECT of attractive alternatives

Answer 14

people who are in committed relationships rate an attractive alternative as less attractive than people who are less committed. we protect our relationship by convincing ourselves that we really aren’t attracted to the person anyway.

Question 15

explain the relationship between commitment and forgiveness

Answer 15

th more committed people were to their relationships ,the more forgiving they were of their partners transgressions. women are more likely than mean to respond to relationship transgressions with constructive, accommodating responses.

Question 16

positive illusions

Answer 16

idealization of our romantic relationships and partners in order to maintain the relationship

Question 17

positive illusions

Answer 17

idealization of our romantic relationships and partners in order to maintain the relationship

Question 18

when our relationship is under stress, we maintain our relationships by engaging in

Answer 18

positive illusion thought. we think back to good times

Question 19

two ways in which we maintain our relationships

Answer 19

1) positive illusions/idealization

2) finding redeeming features in our partner’s faults.

Question 20

commitment factor in positive illusions

Answer 20

men tend to engage in positive illusions only if they are highly committed to a relationship, whereas women are more likely to hold unrealistically positive perceptions of their partner regardless of their level of commitment.

Question 21

T/F relationship idealization is correlated with increased relationship satisfaction

Answer 21

true

Question 22

T/F idealization also has a survival value: relationships in which partners idealize one another are most likely to endure

Answer 22

true.

Question 23

idealization has the most beneficial effects for a relationship when;

Answer 23

1) the problem is relatively minor
2) the partners are socially skilled
3) both are committed to the relationship.

Question 24

reasons why relationships end

Answer 24

1) irreconcilable differences (cheating)
2) fatal attractions: dissimilar factors getting in the way
3) when rewards are low and costs are high/when attractive alternatives are abailbelt o one or both partners/ when partners have little investment in the relationship/when the relationship is inequitable
4) sheer boredom.

Question 25

4 ways of breaking up

Answer 25

1) withdrawal/avoidance
2) positive tone (trying to prevent hard feelings)
3) manipulative strategies
4) open confrontation.

Question 26

which type of breaking up strategy is most common when ending a friendship

Answer 26

withdrawal/avoidance

Question 27

which type of breaking up strategy is most common in ending a relationship

Answer 27

open confrontation.

Question 28

factors that contribute to how sad you are after the breakup

Answer 28

1) if you were the one who was dumped rather than the one who did the dumping
2) if social exchange variables played a role- people experiences less distress if they were interested in an alternative relationship
3) more sad if you were actually happy in the relationship nd more committed to it.