Chapter 9: Relationships

Question 1

Marriage

Answer 1

a legally sanctioned union

Question 2

Cohabitation

Answer 2

living in a stable relationship prior to or instead of marrying

Question 3

Living apart together

Answer 3

unmarried older adults in an intimate relationship who do not wish to share a residence

Question 4

Cohabitation effect

Answer 4

greater likelihood of divorce among couples who cohabit before getting engaged, specifically serial cohabiters

Question 5

Divorce proneness

Answer 5

greater tendency to contemplate divorce when one’s marriage is in trouble

Question 6

Mediation

Answer 6

cooperative dispute settlement rather than a more adversarial approach with the involvement of lawyers

Question 7

Widowhood effect

Answer 7

greater probability of death in those who have become widowed (more widows than widowers among older adults) compared to those who are married

Question 8

5 characteristic patterns before and after becoming a widow/er

Answer 8

chronic depression, chronic grief, depressed-improved, common grief, resilient

Question 9

6 perspectives on long-term relationships

Answer 9

socioemotional selectivity theory, social exchange theory, equity theory, similarity vs. need for complementarity hypotheses, suffocation model

Question 10

Socioemotional selectivity theory

Answer 10

older adults become more satisfied with their long-term partners as their become more aware of their limited time left together

Question 11

Positive sentiment override

Answer 11

older adults are more likely to recognize positive aspects of their relationships even during disagreements

Question 12

Social exchange theory

Answer 12

predicts that the intrinsic rewards of a relationship increase to the point where they exceed the benefits of alternatives and barriers to leaving (e.g. legal, financial, social, religious)

Question 13

Equity theory

Answer 13

partners are satisfied in a relationship if they feel that they are getting what they deserve (and putting in equal effort)

Question 14

Similarity hypothesis

Answer 14

similarity in personality and values predicts initial interpersonal attraction and satisfaction within long-term relationships

Question 15

Need complementarity hypothesis

Answer 15

people seek and are more satisfied with marital partners who are opposite of themselves; perceive each other as teammates

Question 16

Behavioral approach to marital interactions

Answer 16

partners will be more satisfied when they engage in positive or rewarding behaviors (e.g. showing affection) instead of being critical or abusive; constructive conflict resolution

Question 17

Suffocation model of marriage

Answer 17

the higher a couple tries to move up the hierarchy of needs (security to self-actualization), the greater their frustration with the quality of their relationship

Question 18

3 pathways in long-term relationships

Answer 18

enduring dynamics, emergent distress, disillusionment

Question 19

Enduring dynamics pathway

Answer 19

how a couple interacts early on will characterize the course of their relationship

Question 20

Emergent distress pathway

Answer 20

couples that develop problems over time as they find that they are unable to cope with inevitable arguments that come with living together

Question 21

Disillusionment pathway

Answer 21

happy and inlove after getting married then gradually falling out of love

Question 22

Transition to parenthood

Answer 22

period of adjustment to the new family status represented by the presence of a child at home, resulting in biopsychosocial changes

Question 23

Doing gender

Answer 23

tendency of women and men to behave in stereotypically gendered ways

Question 24

Blended families

Answer 24

at least one adult is living with a child who is not his/her biological child

Question 25

Empty nest

Answer 25

period in a couple’s life when children permanently leave home

Question 26

Skip-generation family

Answer 26

living situation where children live with their grandparents, not their parents

Question 27

Dyadic withdrawal

Answer 27

process of reducing individual friendships and increasing joint friendships among a couple

Question 28

Relationship between marital satisfaction and stability

Answer 28

marriages generally become less satisfying but more stable over time

Question 29

Key factors of marital satisfaction and stability

Answer 29

homogamy, personality, income, sexual satisfaction, premarital cohabitation, stress, previous marriages

Question 30

Reasons for declining fertility rate in developed countries

Answer 30

personal choice, change in social acceptability of being childless, infertility, finances, societal factors

Question 31

Factors of substantial decline in marital satisfaction after becoming parents

Answer 31

adaptive processes, personal and situational factors

Question 32

Adaptive processes

Answer 32

how a couple is adapting to transition to parenthood; may lead to increased conflict issues, more passive avoidance and less constructive resolution, wives’ increased sensitivity to husbands’ behavior

Question 33

Parental and situational factors

Answer 33

gender and violated expectations of post-childbirth experience (specifically for women), child’s characteristics, work factors

Question 34

Filial obligation

Answer 34

cultural value where adult children are expected to care for their parents, including having them live in their home

Question 35

Filial piety

Answer 35

set of behaviors and attitudes that indicate feelings of love, respect, and care toward one’s parents and includes expectations of obedience