Intimate Relationships & Communication Flashcards
*What is the first relationship we have outside of our family and what
three things do we learn from it?
Friendship, we learn about tolerance, sharing, and trust.
Physical intensity, excitement, and pleasure:
As physical intensity & excitement diminish, pleasure may actually increase a happiness in being with each other
*Jealousy
Is not an element of love, but insistent demands and attempts to control.
*Feedback
A constructive response to another’s self disclosure
There are two major things we should look for when choosing a
partner. Name both of them and give an example of each
- Similarities – ethnic/socioeconomic background, educational level,
lifestyle, physical attractiveness, and geographic area - First attraction – looks, dress, social status, and reciprocated interest
*Predictors of a happy marriage
- Realistic expectations
- Feels good about the personality of their mate
- Egalitarian role (equal)
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Agree on religious and ethical values
- Good balance of individual and joint interests and activities
- Develop friendships with other couples
Increases relationship success
- Similarities (to your own) - increases relationship’s success
Other things to consider: communication, acceptance, how much do we have in common?
First attraction
Observable characteristics (looks, dress, social status, reciprocated interest)
Living together
Cohabitation (living together in a sexual relationship w/o being married)
- More popular among younger people
- Partnerships tend to be less stable
Advantages: keep identity, more independence
Process of divorce
- Emotional separation
- Physical separation
- Experience turmoil, depression and lowered self-esteem
Chance of divorce
50-55%
Authoritarian
High demand, low responsiveness
How long it takes to recover from divorce
1-3 years
Authoritative
High demand, high responsiveness
Permissive
Low demand, high responsiveness
Uninvolved
Low demand, low responsiveness - worst
Out of all parenting styles, which one is the worst and best?
Authoritative (best)
Uninvolved (worst)
Marital satisfaction
Marital satisfaction tends to decline when children are young and in school, but increases once the last child has left home
Family life cycle
- Early stage - ensure the babies physical well being, worry about choices and making serious mistakes, no set hard-and-fast rules, most important is to promote satisfaction for all family members - including parents
- Later stages: balance between giving freedom and setting limits that will keep them safe and secure, increased dependence and allowing them to risk success or failure on their own
Stepfamilies
Step families are different from primary families and should not be expected to duplicate the emotions and relationships of a primary family.
Greatest stress producing event
Separation and divorce, except for the death of a spouse or family member
