Chapter 9: Relationships Flashcards
Marriage
a legally sanctioned union
Cohabitation
living in a stable relationship prior to or instead of marrying
Living apart together
unmarried older adults in an intimate relationship who do not wish to share a residence
Cohabitation effect
greater likelihood of divorce among couples who cohabit before getting engaged, specifically serial cohabiters
Divorce proneness
greater tendency to contemplate divorce when one’s marriage is in trouble
Mediation
cooperative dispute settlement rather than a more adversarial approach with the involvement of lawyers
Widowhood effect
greater probability of death in those who have become widowed (more widows than widowers among older adults) compared to those who are married
5 characteristic patterns before and after becoming a widow/er
chronic depression, chronic grief, depressed-improved, common grief, resilient
6 perspectives on long-term relationships
socioemotional selectivity theory, social exchange theory, equity theory, similarity vs. need for complementarity hypotheses, suffocation model
Socioemotional selectivity theory
older adults become more satisfied with their long-term partners as their become more aware of their limited time left together
Positive sentiment override
older adults are more likely to recognize positive aspects of their relationships even during disagreements
Social exchange theory
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)
Equity theory
partners are satisfied in a relationship if they feel that they are getting what they deserve (and putting in equal effort)
Similarity hypothesis
similarity in personality and values predicts initial interpersonal attraction and satisfaction within long-term relationships
Need complementarity hypothesis
people seek and are more satisfied with marital partners who are opposite of themselves; perceive each other as teammates
Behavioral approach to marital interactions
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
Suffocation model of marriage
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
3 pathways in long-term relationships
enduring dynamics, emergent distress, disillusionment
Enduring dynamics pathway
how a couple interacts early on will characterize the course of their relationship
Emergent distress pathway
couples that develop problems over time as they find that they are unable to cope with inevitable arguments that come with living together
Disillusionment pathway
happy and inlove after getting married then gradually falling out of love
Transition to parenthood
period of adjustment to the new family status represented by the presence of a child at home, resulting in biopsychosocial changes
Doing gender
tendency of women and men to behave in stereotypically gendered ways
Blended families
at least one adult is living with a child who is not his/her biological child
Empty nest
period in a couple’s life when children permanently leave home
Skip-generation family
living situation where children live with their grandparents, not their parents
Dyadic withdrawal
process of reducing individual friendships and increasing joint friendships among a couple
Relationship between marital satisfaction and stability
marriages generally become less satisfying but more stable over time
Key factors of marital satisfaction and stability
homogamy, personality, income, sexual satisfaction, premarital cohabitation, stress, previous marriages
Reasons for declining fertility rate in developed countries
personal choice, change in social acceptability of being childless, infertility, finances, societal factors
Factors of substantial decline in marital satisfaction after becoming parents
adaptive processes, personal and situational factors
Adaptive processes
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
Parental and situational factors
gender and violated expectations of post-childbirth experience (specifically for women), child’s characteristics, work factors
Filial obligation
cultural value where adult children are expected to care for their parents, including having them live in their home
Filial piety
set of behaviors and attitudes that indicate feelings of love, respect, and care toward one’s parents and includes expectations of obedience
