Cognitive Processes

Question 1

How Perceptions Affect
our Relationships

Answer 1

1. Idealization
2. Attributional Processes
3. Relationship Beliefs
4. Expectations

Question 2

How is Idealizing
Helpful?

Answer 2

• Positive illusions – focus on
  positive perceptions and
  minimize faults

is needed so we want to go into/stay a reletionship with the person

padelstal but it is hard to maintain eventually you start reving the relationship

Question 3

Attributions

Answer 3

The process of inferring the causes of events or behaviors
Explanations we create to make meaning

Question 4

Types of
Attributions

Answer 4

• Internal– due to internal
  characteristics
• External– due to external
  event(s)
• Stable– lasting
• Unstable - temporary
• Controllable – we can
  manage them
• Uncontrollable – nothing we
  can do about them

Question 5

Actor/observer effects

Answer 5

different explanations for our own behavior than for similar behavior observed in partners

Question 6

Self-serving bias

Answer 6

taking credit for our successes but avoiding blame for our failures

• May lead people to believe
  relationship problems are mostly
  the partner’s faul

helps with self esteem

Question 7

Happy Relationship

Relationship Enhancing Attributions

Answer 7

Relationship Enhancement(attributional pattern)

partners behaviour that is positive is :
* internal
* stable
* controllable

partners behaviour that is negative is :
* External
* Unstable
* Uncontrollable

Question 8

Unhappy relationship

Relationship Distress Maintaning

Answer 8

Distress Maintaning(attributional pattern)

partner behaviour that is positive:
* External
* Unstable
* Uncontrollable

partner behaviour that is negative:
* internal
* stable
* controllable

Question 9

Relationship Beliefs

Answer 9

xxx

Question 10

Six Dysfunctional Beliefs About
Relationships

Answer 10

1. Disagreements are destructive
2. Mindreading is essential
3. Partners cannot change
4. Sex should be perfect every time
5. Men and women are different
6. Great relationships just happen

Question 11

Expectations

Answer 11

xxx

Question 12

Self-fulfilling
Prophesy

Answer 12

False predictions that
become true because they
lead people to behave in
ways that make these
expectations become true.

Question 13

How the Self-
fulfilling Prophesy
Works

Answer 13

P forms an expectancy about T > P acts > T interprets P’s behaviour > T responds > P interprets the T response > it renforces P former expectancy about T

P = perceiver;
T = target (other person)