Intimacy, Love, & Sexuality Flashcards
Intimacy
The emotional sense of attachment to someone with whom one shares personal knowledge and a concern for each other’s well-being.
Self-Disclosure
Process in which individuals communicate intimate information about their feelings and experiences to others.
Erikson’s Theory
Emerging adulthood psychosocial crisis: intimacy vs. isolation.
Challenge: developing an intimate relationship without compromising one’s own individuality.
Sullivan’s Theory
Development as a series of stages, where the stages reflect changing interpersonal needs and social relationships.
Stages:
Preadolescent & Early Adolescent stage.
Preadolescent Stage (Sullivan)
Need for INTIMACY.
- Gain sense of well-being by developing first close interpersonal friendship.
- Mutual caring, regard, reciprocity, and exchange between two equals.
Early Adolescent Stage (Sullivan)
Need for SEXUALITY.
- Desire for close interpersonal relationship interacts with increasing romantic and sexual desires.
- Goal is to find a romantic partner who can also be an intimate friend.
Sternberg’s Theory of Love
Passion, Intimacy, Commitment
Passion (Sternberg)
Physical attraction, sexual desire, intense emotions.
Intimacy (Sternberg)
Feelings of closeness, emotional attachment, mutual understanding, support, open communication.
Commitment (Sternberg)
Pledge of enduring love, sustains relationships through fluctuations.
Sternberg’s Types of Love
Liking: Characterizes most friendships.
Infatuation: Physiological & emotional arousal.
Empty Love: Commitment, loyalty.
Romantic Love: ‘In love’, intense, joyful but fleeting.
Companionate Love: Old married couple, close
friendships or family.
Fatuous love: Whirlwind courtship.
Consummate love: Ultimate.
Brown’s Model of Adolescent Love
Has four phases: Initiation, Status, Affection, and Bonding.
Initiation Phase (Brown)
First explorations of romantic interest. Often involves fear, anxiety, excitement.
Status Phase (Brown)
Begin to form romantic relationships, assessing romantic interest.
Affection Phase (Brown)
Express deeper feelings, sexual activity.
Bonding Phase (Brown)
Becomes more enduring and serious, consideration of life-long commitment.
How do restrictive cultures view adolescent sexuality?
- Strong prohibitions on premarital sexual activity
- Separate boys and girls throughout adolescence
- Physical punishment, public shaming
- More restrictive for girls.
How do semi-restrictive cultures view adolescent sexuality?
- Premarital sex prohibited
- Not formally enforced
- When not discrete, more traditional expectations are enforced.
How do permissive cultures view adolescent sexuality?
*Sexual activity expected.
Consensual Validation
Relationships with people that are similar in social characteristics, demographic characteristics, school-related attitudes, deviant behaviour.
Become more similar.
*Influence and socialize each other.
What are the good and bad parts of romantic relationships?
Good:
- More intense positive emotions.
- Sexual activity.
- Being cared for by partner.
- Having social companion for leisure activities.
Bad:
- More intense negative emotions.
- More social contraints.
- Emotional vulnerability.
- More conflict than friendship.
What are the top reasons for romantic relationships for adolescents and EA?
Adolescents:
1) Recreation
2) Intimacy
3) Status
Emerging Adults:
1) Intimacy
2) Companionship
Sternberg’s Types of Love.
Liking + Commitment: Companionate Love (ultimate)
Commitment + Passion: Fatuous Love (whirlwind courtship)
Passion + Intimacy: Romantic Love (intense, joyful, fleeting, ‘in love’)
Commitment: Empty Love (commitment, loyalty)
Passion: Infatuation (physiological & emotional arousal)
Intimacy: Liking (most friendships)
Most common relationship/love in adolescence?
Infatuation & Romantic Love.
