Maintaining relationships

Question 1

Why do people want to maintain relationships?

Answer 1

• dedication to partner
• positive attraction to partner or relationship
• a perception that leaving the relationship will be costly

Question 2

What is commitment defined as and who defined it?

Answer 2

• wish or intention to stay in a relationship
  -Adams & Jones 1997

Question 3

Who created the investment mode?

Answer 3

• Rusbult 1993

Question 4

What is the investment model?

Answer 4

• people weight up the rewards, costs and comparisons
• can explain why people stay in abusive relationships

Question 5

What are the different factors influencing why someone would end a romantic relationship?

Answer 5

• marriage at young age
• cohabit rather than marriage
• initiate sexual activity sooner
• who have had more sexual partners
• no children

Question 6

What are the differences in same-sex and heterosexual couples when it comes to ending a romantic relationship?

Answer 6

• sig differences in dissolution rates between gender and sexual orientation
• female-female couples were more likely to have dissolved their relationship than male-male couples and heterosexual couples

Question 7

What are some strengths of the research into ending relationships?

Answer 7

+ to be able to compare dissolution rates in comparable samples of same-sex and heterosexual couples over a 12-year period during which legal relationship recognition became available to same-sex couples
+ prospective and longitudinal, with three time points over a 12 year that span a period of dramatic and rapid legal and political change
+ collected quantitative and qualitative data
+ recruitment stages made pps in same-sex and heterosexual couples comparable on some demographic and geographic variables

Question 8

What are some limitations of the research into ending relationships?

Answer 8

• sample is overwhelming- needs more diverse sample in socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity
• no research on younger same-sex and heterosexual couples

Question 9

Who came up with the 5 stages to adjustment of dying?

Answer 9

• Kubler-ross 1969

Question 10

What are the five stages of adjustment of dying?

Answer 10

1. denial
2. anger: loss of control
3. bargaining: attempt to postpone the inevitable
4. depression
5. acceptance

Question 11

What is loneliness in bereavement?

Answer 11

• can result from breakup or death of partner
• lack of intimacy and supportive partner
• individuals who lose a spouse can have serious health problems

Question 12

What support is there for bereavement?

Answer 12

• online support groups may help
• qualitative evidence: clear positive attributes of online peer support that are valued by bereaved users