Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

PSYC 353: Close Relationships > Midterm 2 > Flashcards

Midterm 2 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Conversation Starters flashcards
1
Q

fundamental basis of attraction

A

a matter of rewards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

two types of rewards influence attraction

A

direct rewards, indirect rewards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

direct rewards

A

obviously receive from our interaction with others

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

indirect rewards

A

not always aware of and that are merely associated with someone else

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

instrumentality

A

the extent to which someone can help us get what we currently want

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

proximity

A
  • often determines whether or not we ever meet them in the first place
  • more often than not, friendships and romances grow out of interactions with those who are nearby
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

mere exposure

A

usually increases our liking for someone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

disadvantages regarding proximity

A
  • when people who have come to know each other online meet in person for the first time
  • when partners in long-distance relationships are reunited after some time apart
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

when first encountered, physically attractive people are presumed to be…

A

interesting, sociable people who are likely to encounter personal and professional success in love and life
- assume that attractive people have desirable traits such as agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

women are more attractive if

A
  • they have “baby-faced” features such as large eyes, a small nose, a small chin, and full lips
  • appear feminine and youthful
  • combine those baby-faced features with signs of maturity such as prominent cheekbones, narrow cheeks, and a broad smile
  • long eyelashes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

men are thought to be handsome when

A

they have strong jaws and broad foreheads and look strong and dominant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

good-looking faces in both sexes

A
  • have features that are neither too large nor too small
  • average
  • symmetrical
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

men find women’s shapes most alluring when

A

waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is 0.7 in which the waist is 30 percent smaller than the hips

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

ideal waist-to-bust ratio

A

0.75

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

ideal waist-to-hip ratio for men

A

0.9

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

women and smell

A

prefer the smells of guys who’ve been eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

men and smell

A

prefer the natural scents of pretty women than those of women who are less attractive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

evolutionary perspective on physical attractiveness

A
  • people all over the world still tend to agree who is and who is not attractive
  • symmetric people of both sexes are smarter and get sick less often
  • babies are born with preferences for the same faces that adults find attractive
  • women with WHRs near 0.7 are usually young and are not already pregnant, so they look like they’d be good mates
  • men with WHR of 0.9 is likely to be in better health
  • attractiveness matters most to people in equatorial regions of the world where there are many parasites and pathogens that can endanger good health
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

changes in women’s desires that accompany their monthly menstrual cycles

A
  • generally find men’s bodies to be more attractive and they are better able to judge whether a guy is gay or straight
  • men think women smell better when they’re about to ovulate than at other times of the month
  • when women are fertile, their voices and bodies are more attractive to men
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

standards of attractiveness are also affected by…

A

changing economic and cultural conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

mens looks correlated with

A

the number and length of the interactions they have with women (no correlation for women)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

attractive people tend to be

A

less lonely, more socially skilled, and a little happier

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

disadvantages of being attractive

A
  • divorce more often
  • others lie to pretty people more often
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

matching

A

partners in established romantic relationships tend to have similar levels of physical attractiveness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

most rate their realistic interest in others and the likelihood that they would approach them and try to start a relationship based on this formula

A

a potential partner’s desirability = his/her physical attractiveness x his/her probability of accepting you

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

mate value

A

overall attractiveness as a reproductive partner

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

expectations regarding the probability of others’ acceptance have much to do with

A

mate value

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

similarities in partners

A
  • demographic similarity in age, sex, race, education, religion, and social class
  • similar levels of education
  • similarity in attitudes and values
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

perceived similarity

A

our perceptions of how much we have in common affect our attraction more than our actual similarity does

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

stimulus-value-role theory

A

we gain three different broad types of information about our partners as a new relationship develops; when we first meet, out attraction to each other is primarily based on “stimulus” information; during the “value” stage, attraction depends on similarity in attitudes and beliefs as we learn whether we like the same things; only later does “role” compatibility become important, when we finally find out if we agree on the basics of parenting, careers, housecleaning, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

fatal attractions

A

occur when a quality that initially attracts one person to another gradually becomes one of the most obnoxious, irritating things about that partner

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

ideal self

A

someone who exhibits desirable qualities that we want to, but do not yet, possess

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

attraction to ideal selves

A

attracted to others who possess skills and talents that they wish they had

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

dissimilarity may decrease over time

A
  • relationships can change people
  • as time goes by, the members of a couple often come to share more similar attitudes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

some types of similarity are more important than others

A
  • especially rewarding to have someone agree with us on issues that are very important to us
  • religion
  • similarity in attitudes toward housework and gender roles
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

men care more about women being ___ while women care more about men being ___

A
  • men –> young
  • women –> financial prospects
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

complementary

A

when two partners have different skills, each is usually happy to allow the other to take the lead on those tasks at which the other is more talented

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

three themes in the criteria with which people evaluate potential mates

A
  • warmth and loyalty
  • attractiveness and vitality
  • status and resources
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

despite differences men and women seek in physical attractiveness and income…

A

they generally seek the same qualities in their relationship partners

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

men and women have the same standards when they’re pursuing short-term flings

A
  • relatively low standards
  • good-looking
  • will accept lower intelligence, warmth, and earning potential
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

if he can’t have it all, a man will check first to make sure that a woman…

A

has at least average looks and then they seek as much warmth, kindness, honesty, openness, stability, humor, and intelligence as they can get

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

if she can’t have it all, a woman will check first to make sure that a man…

A

has at least some money or prospects and then they seek as much warmth, kindness, honesty, openness, stability, humor, and intelligence as they can get

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

dealbreakers for both men and women

A
  • objectionable traits (such as being untrustworthy, unfeeling, or abusive)
  • ill-health (STDs or alcoholism)
  • poor hygiene
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

may be several reasons why one’s standards are changin

A
  • mate value may have risen
  • big promotion or pay raise
  • may be gradually lowering your standards if struggling to find a partner
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

social cognition

A

all the processes of perception, interpretation, belief, and memory with which we evaluate ad understand ourselves and other people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

first impressions

A

judgments formed of others after a brief first meeting often have enormous staying power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

takes this long to form judgments of a stranger’s attractiveness, trustworthiness, and status

A

one-thirtieth of a second

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

snap judgments influenced by…

A

the fact that everyone we meet fits some category of people about whom we already hold stereotyped first impressions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

primacy effect

A

a tendency for the first information we receive about others to carry special weight

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

confirmation bias

A

seeking information that will prove one right more often than looking for examples that would prove one wrong; applies to testing first impressions about people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

overconfidence

A

thinking that one is more accurate than they really are and making more mistakes than they realize

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

positive illusions

A

people often judge their lovers in the best light possible; a mix of realistic knowledge about our partners and idealized perceptions of them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

protect ourselves from disillusionment through

A

the fact that we tend to revise our opinions of what we want in an ideal partner so that our standards fit the partner we’ve got

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

attributions

A

the explanations one generates for why things happen and, in particular, why a person did or did not do something; emphasize influences that are either internal or external, stable or unstable, controllable or uncontrollable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

internal attributions

A

the person’s personality, ability, or effort

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

external attributions

A

the situation or circumstances the person faced

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

actor/observer effects

A

people generate different explanations for their own behavior than they do for the similar things they see their partners do; acknowledge external pressures when explaining their own actions, but make internal attributions when other people behave exactly the same way

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

self-serving biases

A

when someone readily takes credit for their successes but tries to avoid blame for their failures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

self-serving biases in long term relationships

A
  • when spouses fight with each other, they tend to believe that the argument is mostly their partner’s fault
  • if spouses have extramarital affairs, people usually consider their own affair to be innocuous dalliances, but they consider their spouse’s affairs to be grievous betrayals
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

relationship enhancing attributions

A
  • happy people tend to have these attributions
  • positive actions by the partner are judged to be intentional, habitual, and indicative of the partner’s fine character
  • tend to discount one another’s transgressions, seeing them as accidental, unstable, and uncontrollable causes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

distress-maintaining attributions

A
  • dissatisfied partners tend to make these attributions
  • regard a partner’s negative actions as deliberate and routine and positive behavior as unintended and accidental
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

reconstructive memory

A

the manner in which memories are continually revised and rewritten as new information is obtained
- influences relationships
- partners’ current feelings about each other influence what they remember about their shared past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

marital paradigms

A

broad assumptions about whether, when, and under what circumstances we should marry that are accompanied by beliefs about what it’s like to be married

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

certain beliefs that people have about relationships are dysfunctional

A

appear to have adverse effects on the quality of relationships, making it less likely that the partners will be satisfied
- disagreements are destructive
- mindreading is essential
- partners cannot change
- sex should be perfect every time
- men and women are different
- great relationships just happen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

destiny beliefs

A

assume that two people are either well suited for each other and destined to live happily ever after, or they’re not

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

growth beliefs

A

good relationships are believed to develop gradually as the partners work at surmounting challenges and overcoming obstacles; basic presumption is that with enough effort, almost any relationship can succeed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

self-fulfilling prophecies

A

false predictions that become true because they lead people to behave in ways that make the erroneous expectations come true

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

steps for self-fulfilling prophecy

A
  • perceiver forms an expectancy about someone else (target) that predicts how the target will behave
  • perceiver acts, usually in a fashion that is in accord with their expectations
  • target’s interpretation influences their response
  • target responds –> usually in a manner similar to the perceiver’s behavior toward them
  • perceiver interprets the target’s response
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

people who are high in rejection sensitivity…

A

tend to anxiously perceive snubs from others when none are intended

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

optimism in relationships

A

people who are chronically optimistic enjoy more satisfying close relationships

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

self-concept

A

encompasses all of the beliefs and feelings we have about ourselves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

during social interaction, our self-concepts try to fulfill two different functions

A

self-enhancement and self-verification

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

self-enhancement

A

seek feedback from others that will enhance their self-concepts and allow them to think of themselves as desirable, attractive, competent people; desire for positive, complimentary feedback

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

self-verification

A

desire for feedback that is consistent with one’s existing self-concept

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

implicit attitudes

A

unintentional and automatic associations in our judgments that are evident when our partners come to mind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

disregard

A

brings bad responses towards a partner through implicit attitudes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

implicit ambivalence

A

nonconscious mixed feelings about our partners

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

transference

A

old feelings can be “transferred” to new partners, influencing our behavior and our implicit attitudes toward them, when those new partners subtly remind us of significant others from our past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

impression management

A

trying to influence the impressions of us that others form; can be conscious or unconscious

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

strategies of impression management

A

ingratiation, self-promotion, intimidation, supplication

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

ingratiation

A

when one does favors, pays compliments, mentions areas of agreements, and are generally charming to get others to like them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
82
Q

self-promotion

A

when one recounts their accomplishments or strategically arranges public demonstrations of their skills in order to be recognized and respected by others

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
83
Q

intimidation

A

when one portrays themself as ruthless, dangerous, and menacing so that others will do their bidding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

supplication

A

when one presents themself as inept or infirm to avoid obligations and to elicit help and support from others

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

self-monitoring

A

when someone readily adjusts their behavior to fit the varying norms of different situations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

high self-monitors

A

alert to social cues that suggest what they should do and they are ready, willing, and able to tailor their behavior to fit in; tend to have more friends than low self-monitors, but they have less in common with each other; tend to surround themselves with activity specialistts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

low self-monitors

A

less attentive to social norms and are less flexible; must search harder for partners with whom they are more similar across the board

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

activity specialists

A

partners who are great companions for some particular pleasure but with whom they are not compatible in other respects (ex. a “tennis buddy” or “fitness friend”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
89
Q

over time, people pay less head to the images they present to intimate partners than to the impressions made on others

A
  • we know our friends and lovers like us, so there’s less motivation to be charming to win their approval
  • because they know us well, there’s less we can do to have much effect on what they think
  • people may simply get lazy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
90
Q

in close relationships, partners are likely…

A

to interpret one another’s actions in ways that fit their existing preconceptions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
91
Q

perceptions of our partners over a long period of time

A
  • perceptions do not necessarily become more accurate as time goes by
  • tend to see in our partners what we want and expect to see
  • perceive our partners’ goals and their emotions to be more like our own than they really are
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
92
Q

partner legibility

A
  • some of the traits people have are more visible than others
  • the more evident a trait is, the more accurately it will be perceived
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
93
Q

emotional intelligence

A

a set of abilities that describes a person’s talents in perceiving, using, understanding, and managing emotions

94
Q

threatening perceptions

A

when accurate perceptions would be worrisome, intimate partners may actually be motivated to be inaccurate in order to fend off doubts about their relationship

95
Q

model of communication

A
  • sender’s intentions (private and known only to the sender)
  • sender’s message (a variety of factors, such as the sender’s mood or social skills or distractions in the surrounding environment, can influence or interfere with this process)
  • receiver decodes the sender’s actions (interference can occur here as well)
  • an effect on the receiver (private and known only to the receiver)
96
Q

interpersonal gap

A

the sender’s intentions differ from the effect on the receiver

97
Q

nonverbal behavior

A

includes all of the things people do in their intentions except for their spoken words and syntax

98
Q

functions of nonverbal behavior in relationships

A
  • providing information
  • regulating interaction
  • defining the nature of the relationship
  • impression management
99
Q

facial expression

A

people’s spontaneous facial expressions signal their moods and emotions

100
Q

seven facial expressions that appear to be universal

A

happy, surprise, contempt, sadness, fear, disgust, anger

101
Q

display rules

A

cultural norms that dictate what emotions are appropriate in particular situations

102
Q

at least four ways we may try to modify our expressions of emotion to follow display rules

A

intensify, minimize, neutralize, mask

103
Q

intensify

A

may exaggerate our expressions that that we appear to be experiencing stronger feelings than we really are

104
Q

minimize

A

sometimes minimize our expressions, trying to seem less emotional than we really are

105
Q

neutralize

A

may neutralize our expressions, trying to withhold our true feelings altogether

106
Q

mask

A

can mask our real feelings by replacing them with an entirely different apparent emotion

107
Q

microexpressions

A

authentic flashes of real emotion that can be visible during momentary lapses of control

108
Q

eyes

A
  • our pupils dilate when we’re looking at something that interests us
  • when others are looking at us with large pupils, we tend to assume that they are more aroused and sexually available
109
Q

gazing

A
  • people with friendly expressions who catch our eye and keep looking seem more likable and attractive than those who glance at us then look away
  • helps define the relationship two people share once interaction begins
  • lovers spend more time looking at each other than friends do and friends look more than acquaintances do
110
Q

visual dominance ratio (VDR)

A

compares “look-speak” (the percentage of time a speaker gazes at a listener) to “look-listen”

111
Q

body movements

A
  • routinely accompany and support our verbal communication, making it easier for us to convey what we mean
  • can replace spoken words entirely in the form of gestures that are widely understood
  • body postures can signal status
112
Q

touch

A
  • physical contact with another person can have various meanings
  • the more satisfied spouses are with the amount of touching they receive, the more happily married they tend to be
  • loving touches are good for health
113
Q

interpersonal distance

A

the physical space that separates two people; intimate zone, personal zone, social zone, public zone

114
Q

intimate zone

A

extends out from the front of our chests about a foot-and-a-half

115
Q

personal zone

A

ranges from 1.5 to 4 feet away from us

116
Q

social zone

A

four to twelve feet; interactions tend to be more businesslike

117
Q

public zone

A

beyond 12 feet; interactions tend to be quite formal

118
Q

smell

A

different emotions cause people to emit different chemicals –> chemosignals

119
Q

paralanguage

A

includes all the variations in a person’s voice other than the actual words they use, such as rhythm, pitch, loudness, and rate
- helps define relationships because lovers tend to talk to each other differently than friends do

120
Q

combining the components of nonverbal behavior

A

usually the different components reinforce each other, working together to convey consistent information about a person’s sentiments and intentions

121
Q

mimicry

A

occurs during a conversation when the participants adopt similar postures and mannerisms, display comparable expressions, and use similar paralanguage
- if they’re enjoying their interaction, people tend to synchronize their nonverbal behavior automatically

122
Q

nonverbal sensitivity

A

the sensitivity and accuracy with which couples read, decode, and correctly interpret each other’s nonverbal behavior predict how happy their relationship with be

123
Q

nonverbal sensitivity in longterm relationships

A
  • women tend to attentively use subtle but real nonverbal cues to discern what’s going on
  • husbands in unhappy marriages sent more confusing messages and made more decoding errors than happy husbands did
  • men in troubled marriages were misinterpreting communications from their wives that were clearly legible to total strangers
124
Q

self-disclosure

A

process of revealing personal information to someone else

125
Q

social penetration theory

A

relationships develop through systematic changes in communication; begin with exchanging superficial information and gradually move to more meaningful revelations

126
Q

increase two aspects of communication for people to get closer

A

breadth and depth

127
Q

breadth

A

the variety of topics discussed

128
Q

depth

A

personal significance of topics discussed

129
Q

wedge of social penetration

A

self-disclosure at the beginning of a new relationship is likely to take the form of a wedge that’s both narrow (only a few different topics are being discussed) and shallow (only impersonal information is being revealed); as the relationship develops, the wedge should become broader and deeper

130
Q

interpersonal process model of intimacy

A

genuine intimacy is likely to develop between two people only when certain conditions have been met: responsiveness, perceived partner responsiveness

131
Q

responsiveness

A

when we open up to others, we want our disclosures to be received with apparent interest, sympathy, and respect; want others to indicate that they understand us and care about us

132
Q

perceived partner responsiveness

A

judgment that one’s partner is understanding and caring

133
Q

taboo topics

A

sensitive matters that, in their opinion, may threaten the quality of their relationship

134
Q

explicitly or implicitly, partners may agree to steer clear of…

A

taboo topics

135
Q

secret tests

A

instead of discussing past sexual experiences; watch closely to see how their lovers respond to other attractive people (triangle test), contribe difficulties that the lover must overcome in order to demonstrate their devotion (endurance test), find reasons to be apart to see how enthusiastically their lovers welcome their return (separation test)

136
Q

self-disclosure and relationship satisfaction

A
  • the more self-disclosure romantic couples share, the happier they tend to be
  • self-disclosure that fits the situation breeds liking and contentment in close relationships
  • if we’re attracted to others, we tend to be more open with them
  • it’s rewarding to be entrusted with self-disclosures from others
137
Q

gender differences in verbal communication

A
  • women are more likely than men to discuss their feelings about their close relationships and other personal aspects of their lives
  • men tend to stick to more impersonal matters
  • as a result, the conversations men have with each other tend to be less intimate and personal than the conversations women share
138
Q

gender differences and styles of conversation

A
  • women speak somewhat less forcefully than men do, being more indirect and seeming less certain
  • women are less profane
139
Q

gender differences and self-disclosure

A
  • in established relationships, women are more self-disclosing than men are and elicit more self-disclosure from others
  • men tend to offer their female partners more intimate self-disclosures than they provide their male best friends
  • men often depend more on women for emotional warmth and intimacy than women do on them in return
140
Q

kitchen-sinking

A

tend to address several topics at once, specifically relating to complaints

141
Q

off-beam

A

wandering from topic so that the conversation never stays on one problem long enough to resolve it (can be caused by kitchen-sinking)

142
Q

mindreading

A

when people assume that they understand their partners’ thoughts, feelings, and opinions without asking

143
Q

yes-butting

A

listening poorly by finding something wrong or un-workable with anything their partners says; communicates constant criticism of the others’ point of view

144
Q

cross-complaining

A

instead of expressing interest in what a partner has to say, one just responds to a complaint with one of their own

145
Q

unhappy partners often display _____ when they talk with each other

A

negative affect
- react to partner’s complaints with sarcastic disregard that is demeaning and scornful
- typically begin with criticism that attacks a partner’s personality or character instead of identifying a specific behavior that is causing concern
- contempt
- stonewalling
- common response to contempt is defensiveness
- belligerence

146
Q

contempt

A

insults, mockery, or hostile humor

147
Q

stonewalling

A

when a partner “clams up” and reacts to the messy situation by withdrawing into a stony silence

148
Q

belligerence

A

when one partner aggressively rejects the other altogether

149
Q

strategies for saying what we mean

A

behavior description, I-statements, XYZ statements

150
Q

behavior description

A

identifying as plainly and concretely as possible a specific behavior

151
Q

I-statements

A

start with “I” and then describe a distinct emotional reaction

152
Q

XYZ statements

A

follow the form of “When you do X in situation Y, I feel Z”

153
Q

active listening

A

paraphrasing and perception checking

154
Q

paraphrasing

A

repeating a message in our own words and giving the sender a chance to agree that that’s what they actually meant

155
Q

perception checking

A

people assess the accuracy of their inferences about a partner’s feelings by asking the partner for clarification

156
Q

interdependency

A

exists when we need others and they need us in order to obtain valuable interpersonal rewards

157
Q

social exchange

A

when two people offer each other rewards that entice them to begin a process in which they each provide to the other benefits and rewards that the other wants

158
Q

three key elements of social exchange

A

people’s outcomes, comparison levels (CLs), and comparison levels for alternatives (CLalt’s)

159
Q

rewards

A

anything within an interaction that is desirable and welcome and that brings enjoyment or fulfillment to the recipient

160
Q

costs

A

punishing, undesirable experiences

161
Q

outcome

A

the net profit or loss a person encounters; adding up all the rewards and costs involved; outcomes = rewards - costs

162
Q

two criteria with which we evaluate the outcomes we receive

A

our expectations, our perceptions of how well we could manage without our current partner

163
Q

comparison level (CL)

A

describes the value of the outcomes that we’ve come to expect and believe that we deserve in our dealings with others; standards by which our satisfaction with a relationship is measured

164
Q

if the outcomes you receive exceed your CL

A

you’re happy; you’re getting more than the minimum payoff you expect from interactions with others

165
Q

if your outcomes fall below your CL

A

you’re dissatisfied even if your outcomes are still pretty good and you’re doing better than most people

166
Q

satisfaction

A

outcomes - CL = satisfaction or dissatisfaction

167
Q

comparison level for alternatives (CLalt’s)

A

determine whether we could be doing even better somewhere else; describes the outcomes you’d receive by leaving our current relationship and moving to the best alternative partnership or situation you have available; lowest levels of outcome we will tolerate from our present partners

168
Q

investments

A

the things one would lose if the relationship were to end; important influence on one’s decision to stay or leave a relationship; can be tangible goods or intangible psychological benefits

169
Q

dependency formula

A

Outcomes - CLalt = dependence or independence

170
Q

when people’s outcomes exceed both their CLs and their CLalt’s

A

they’re doing better than they could anywhere else, so they’re happy and their relationship is stable

two different ways:
- a person’s CL is higher than their CLalt
- a person’s CLalt is higher than their CL

even if it exceeds only the CL or CLalt or both

171
Q

if a person’s CLalt is higher than their outcomes but their CL is lower

A

satisfied with their present partner but believes that they have even more attractive outcomes awaiting them somewhere else; happy but unstable

172
Q

a person’s outcomes are lower than both their CLs and CLalt’s

A

unhappy and unstable relationship

two different ways:
- a person’s CL is lower than their CLalt
- a person’s CLalt is lower than their CL

even if its lower only than CL or CLalt or both

173
Q

CL and CLalt over time

A
  • if one’s CL goes up and outcomes remain the same, satisfaction wanes
  • sociocultural influences have caused our expectations to creep up and up
  • cultural changes have increased our CLalt’s (women in the workforce; people more mobile than ever; partners can be found online; legal, religious, and social barriers against divorce have gradually eroded
174
Q

rewards-to-cost ratio of 5-to-1

A

ratio of positive to negative exchanges of 5:1 or better lead to a low risk of divorce

175
Q

approach motivation

A

in seeking rewards, we try to satisfy an appetite for desirable experiences

176
Q

avoidance motivation

A

our desire to avoid costs; seek to elude or escape punishment and pain, so we strive to avoid undesired experiences and to reduce negative feelings

177
Q

4 outcomes for approach and avoidance motivations

A

precarious, flourishing, distressed, boring

178
Q

precarious

A

many delights and many dangers; high in approach, low in avoidance

179
Q

flourishing

A

many delights and few costs; approach high and avoidance high

180
Q

distressed

A

few rewards and many costs; approach low and avoidance low

181
Q

boring

A

being safe but dull; approach low and avoidance high

182
Q

boredom

A

characterized by tedium, disinterest, and a lack of energy and occurs when nothing enticing, intriguing, or new is occurring in an intimate relationship

183
Q

self-expansion model

A

we are attracted to partnerships that expand the range of our interests, skills, and experiences
- according to this model, the key to staying happy is to combat boredom by creatively finding ways to continue your personal growth

184
Q

relationship turbulence

A

a period of adjustment and turmoil as new partners become accustomed to their increasing interdependence
- occurs after a period of initial excitement that is characterized by a rapid increase in satisfaction

185
Q

reasons for relational turbulance

A
  • as partner spend more and more time together, they disrupt each others’ routines
  • partners may encounter some resistance from their friends as the new relationship absorbs more of their time
  • if the relationship undergoes a major transition
186
Q

even if people are usually aware of most of their incompatibilities and problems before they marry, there will almost always be some surprises ahead; two types

A
  • learning the truth about things we thought we knew
  • learning undesired things that you didn’t know at all
187
Q

people may encounter unanticipated costs and most spouses’ satisfaction actually declines some during the first years of marriage due to…

A

a) lack of effort; because b) interdependency is a magnifying glass; and through c) access to weaponry, d) unwelcome surprises, and e) unrealistic expectations

188
Q

according to interdependence theory…

A

we want maximum reward at minimum cost and we want the best interpersonal deals we can get

189
Q

exchange relationships

A

people do favors for others expecting to be repaid by receiving comparable benefits in return

190
Q

communal relationships

A

partners feel a special concern for the other’s well-being and they provide favors and support to one another without expecting repayment

191
Q

people in exchange relationships

A

if they accept a kindness from someone, people feel obligated to return a similar favor to even the scales

192
Q

people in communal relationships

A
  • avoid strict cost accounting and they’d rather not have their kindnesses quickly repaid
  • monitor their partners’ needs even when they see no opportunity for personal gain
  • feel better about themselves when they help their partners
193
Q

scale to measure communal strength

A

the motivation to be responsive to a particular partner’s needs
- as feelings of communal strength increase, people enjoy making small sacrifices for their partners and both they and their partners are happier as a result

194
Q

equity theorists

A

extend the framework of social exchange to assert that people are most satisfied in relationships in which there is proportional justice

195
Q

proportional justice

A

each partner gains benefits from the relationship that are proportional to their contributions to it

196
Q

equitable relationship ratio

A

your outcomes / your contributions = your partner’s outcomes / your partner’s contributions

197
Q

overbenefitted

A

receiving better outcomes in a relationship than they deserve; unequal proportional justice

198
Q

underbenefitted

A

receiving less in a relationship than they should; unequal proportional justice

199
Q

equity may be more important in some domains than in others

A

household tasks, child care

200
Q

satisficer

A

people who pursue purchases and partners who meet their expectations but who when they’re satisfied stop shopping

201
Q

maximizers

A

do not want to just be happy, they want to optimize their outcomes and enjoy maximum satisfaction, so they keep evaluating their options; tend to be less committed to their parnters

202
Q

commitment

A

a desire for a relationship to continue and the willingness to work to maintain it

203
Q

commitment scale

A

three themes:
committed partners expect their relationship to continue, hold a long-term view, and are psychologically attached to each other so that they are happier when their partners are happy, too

204
Q

investment model

A

commitment emerges from all of the elements of social exchange that are associated with peoples CLs and CLalt’s
- Satisfaction increases commitment
- Alternatives of high-quality decrease commitment
- Investments in a relationship increase commitment to it

205
Q

components to the investment model

A

satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size –> commitment level –> relationship maintenance mechanisms

206
Q

forecast

A

an influence on a current commitment to a relationship based on how satisfying one thinks the partnership will be in the future

207
Q

when someone feels low in commitment readiness…

A

they feel unprepared and incapable of planning a future with anyone

208
Q

three types of commitment

A

personal commitment, constraint commitment, moral commitment

209
Q

personal commitment

A

when people want to continue a relationship because they are attracted to their partners and the relationship is satisfying

210
Q

constraint commitment

A

when people feel they have to continue a relationship because it would be too costly for them to leave

211
Q

moral commitment

A

derives from a sense of moral obligation to one’s partner or one’s relationship

212
Q

relationship maintenance mechanisms

A

committed people engage in a variety of behavioral and cognitive maneuvers that both preserve and enhance the relationship and reinforce their commitment to it
- accommodation
- willingness to sacrifice
- derogation of tempting alternatives

213
Q

accommodation

A

people refrain from responding to provocation from their partners with similar ire of their own; tolerate destructive behavior without fighting back

214
Q

willingness to sacrifice

A

committed people display greater willingness to sacrifice their own self-interest for the good of the relationship

215
Q

derogation of tempting alternatives

A

judging other potential partners to be less attractive than they would seem to be if they were single and unattached

216
Q

contrast effects

A

may lead us to underestimate the desirability of many people we meet

217
Q

balance theory

A

suggests that we prefer consistency and symmetry in our relationships

218
Q

desirability

A

desirability = (physical attractiveness) x (probability of acceptance)

219
Q

we tend to like those who share our:

A

age, race, sex, religion, social class, attitudes, values, personalities

219
Q

psychological reactance

A

when people lose their freedom, they strive to regai it

219
Q

sexual dimorphism

A

the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sexes in the same species

220
Q
A
221
Q

romanticism

A

the view that love should be what brings two people together

222
Q

marriage shift

A

self-verification becomes obvious with greater interdependence

223
Q

narcissism

A

highly inflated sense of self; lots of confidence; selfish and exploitative

224
Q

components that influence how well we know our partners

A
  • knowledge
  • motivation
  • partner legibility –> some people are easier to read than others
  • perceiver ability –> some people are more discerning than others with judgments
  • threatening perceptions
  • perceiver influence –> may try to change someone
225
Q

the chameleon effect

A
  • we are highly influenced by others around us
  • interpretive schemas and behavioral schemas
  • participants unknowingly mimicked the nonverbal behaviors of their partners
  • synchronization of individual members within a group and increases in empathy, liking, and social bonding
226
Q

interpretive schemas

A

belief systems used to perceive

227
Q

behavioral schemas

A

relate to the actual production of behavior

228
Q

four basic types of relationships

A
  • happy and stable –> when outcomes exceed both CL and CLalt
  • unhappy but stable –> when outcomes exceed CLalt but fall below CL
  • happy and unstable –> when outcomes exceed CL but fall below CLalt
  • unhappy and unstable –> when outcomes fall below both CL and CLalt
229
Q
A

PSYC 353: Close Relationships (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions