Lecture 9: Interdependence Part 2 Flashcards
velocity
- The velocity with which we approach a desired goal is an important predictor of affective experience
- Emotions are reactions to change
- Satisfaction is based more on recent improvements (changes) in relationship quality than the overall quality of the relationship
marital satisfaction over time
- Overall, marital satisfaction declines as the years go by
- This doesn’t happen to everyone
- About ¼ couples do not experience large declines in satisfaction
reasons for changes in marital satisfaction according to an interdependence perspective
- Effort declines
- Interdependence is a magnifying glass for conflict & friction
- In intimate relationships, high access to weaponry
- Unwelcome surprises
Deromantization
reduction in impressive management
behaviours of couples vs. strangers
Spouses display more negative and fewer positive behaviours towards each other than they do towards strangers
examples of unwelcome surprises
- Fatal attractions
- May discover undesirable things about our partner when adjusting to new circumstances or roles
construal level theory
Different mental representations of events based on the psychological distance of the event
Higher-level construal
psychologically distant events are thought of in abstract terms
Lower-level construal
psychologically near events that are thought of in concrete terms
Optimism
the tendency to expect good things to happen
should we be optimists or pessimists?
- Optimism is good for a relationship
- Optimists enjoy more satisfying relationships
- The key is probably the expectation that inevitable difficulties can be resolved
2 relationship beliefs
destiny & growth beliefs
destiny beliefs
people are either compatible or they are not
growth beliefs
relationship challenges can be overcome
destiny beliefs and satisfaction
- People with destiny beliefs are initially happier with their relationships
- But when faced with conflict, satisfaction declines
- Especially sensitive to signs that their relationship is “not meant to be”
- Disengage from the relationship when there is a problem
growth beliefs and satisfaction
- People with growth beliefs are constructive, optimistic, and committed in the face of conflicts
- Fewer one-night stands, dating a partner for a longer period of time
- Try to maintain the relationship when there is a problem
changes in CL
Satisfaction may go down when outcomes deteriorate or CL goes up
The Hedonic Treadmill
When we attain positive outcomes, our happiness levels may temporarily increase, but so do our expectations
variety
- The extent to which events of a given valence vary in their context
- Adaptation occurs to constant/repeated stimuli, not varying ones
Longitudinal study of happiness intervention
- Students were told to repeat the same kind of acts every week for 10 weeks (low variety condition)
- Or vary the kind of acts they performed (high variety condition)
- In the high variety condition, happiness increased following intervention
- In the low variety condition, happiness declined