Lecture 3; Friendship & Romantic Relationship

Question 1

Importance of rel’ships and belonging

Answer 1

Human contact to functioning; Victor the wild boy of Aveyron. Feral children suffer from social deficits. Isolation leads to ill adjustment. Isolation leads to ill adjustment But can you see any methodological problems with this inference

Question 2

Centrality of contact to functioning

Answer 2

Harlows 1959 monke study, solitary confinement
11% of young people aged 16-24 felt lonely often or always. Adolescents and young adults report being the loneliest. No direct relationship between contact time and feelings of loneliness.

Question 3

Humans need to belong, Baumeister and leary 1995

Answer 3

An evolutionary basis for seeking relationships, belonging is universal, guides social cognition, satiable, there is profound negative consequences if the need is not met.

Question 4

Types of social support, stroebe

Answer 4

Emotional, evaluation, Information, instrumental

Question 5

Reasons of affiliation, Hill 1987. stimulated

Answer 5

Reduce uncertainty comparing with others, be positively stimulated, Obtain confirmation and recognition, receive emotional support.

Question 6

Lack of social support; consequences of alone

Answer 6

Mortality rates higher in single people.
Psych problems more common in divorced people
Suicide rates higher
Cancer patients who belong in a support group survive longer

Question 7

Cohen and Hobermans buffer effecct of social support;

Answer 7

no support results in worse reaction to high stress sitch.

Question 8

Seeking social support in anxiety Schachter 1959

Answer 8

Ps were told they would be administered shocks; 50% were told shocks would be strong and 50% were told they would not to create high/low anx.

They were given the option of waiting alone or with others; more anx people preferred to company of others.

Question 9

Interpersonl attraction

Answer 9

Factors; prox, similarity, reciprocal liking, phys attractiveness.

Question 10

Effects of phys attractiveness;

Answer 10

Interpersonal liking Judged to produce better work. Earn more Lighter sentences in court Judged
to be happier Attractive infants get more attention. Effects higher on women.

Question 11

Factors fostering interpersonal attraction; Physical arousal (Dutton & Aron, 1974):

Answer 11

Ptns were told that they would be given electrical shocks A female confederate was present Men who expected severe rather than light shocks thought the woman was more attractive!

Question 12

Physical factors;

Answer 12

Av faces, certain features such as babyishness, large eyes, small nose for f and strong jaw as well as symmetry, WHR non face and red colour.

Question 13

Interpersonal relationships

Matching hypothesis Goffman

Answer 13

Relationship aspiration = desire for goal + perceived probability of goal attainment.

Question 14

Relational self theory:

Answer 14

Relational selves are built in interactions (together with associated beliefs, feeling, etc).
People who remind us of prior sig others activate these relational selves. We start behaving anf treating them like the prior sig figure.

Question 15

Types of relationships

Answer 15

Exchange relationship; no responsibility, equity, reciprocity such as strangers or work
Communal relationship = mutual responsibility needs principle such as family

Question 16

Dev basis for how we conduct our relationships using ainsworths attachment styles

Answer 16

Secure - finds it easy to get close to others, comfortable with mutual dependence, doesn’t worry about being abandoned
Avoidant - Uncomfortable being close, difficult to trust, doesn’t like to depend on others
Anxious - Feels others are reluctant to get as close as one would like, worries that the partner doesn’t really love them, extreme desire to merge with other which might put other off

Question 17

Romantic relationships and love

Answer 17

SET (social exchange)
Maximisation of own utility (rewards exceeding costs)
Satisfaction depends on comparison level (Past, sig others, perceived options)
‘Love is often nothing but a favourable exchange between two people who get the most of what they can expect, considering their value on the market.’ Erich Fromm.
Not applicable to everyone
No one has all

Question 18

Imago theory Hendrix

Answer 18

Explains why we choose a specific partner
Resembles parents
Chance to heal childhood wounds

Question 19

Types of love Aronson

Answer 19

Passionate ◦ Intense longing ◦ Physiological arousal ◦ Feelings of great fulfilment and ecstasy when reciprocated ◦ New romantic relationships/ Limerence
Companionate ◦ Intimacy and affection ◦ Deep care for the other ◦ Not necessarily passion or arousal in their presence ◦ Mature romantic rel’ships

Question 20

ternbergs triangular theory of love (1986)

Answer 20

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love (1986) describes love as having three main parts: intimacy (emotional closeness), passion (physical attraction and desire), and commitment (long-term dedication). Different combinations of these parts create different types of love, such as liking (friendship), romantic love (intense connection and attraction), and companionate love (deep emotional bond without passion). The theory helps understand the complexity of relationships and how love develops and changes over time

Question 21

Forgas

Answer 21

Levels of phys attractivenedd between partners tend to match (Forgas 93)