Module 44 (Closeness)

Question 1

Social Psychology of Close Relationships

Answer 1

-how we form bonds with other people
-Desire to be with others in a close way, formation/maintenance of bonds, how relationships change across time

Question 2

Close relationship

Answer 2

-relationships where people have regular contact with one another
-Can be digital or face-to-face

Question 3

Focus of close relationship research over time

Answer 3

-Attraction to one another, attitudes towards another person
-70s: people were interested in attributions in relationships
-80s: will relationship last/have meaning, commitment, trust

Question 4

Technology’s effect on close relationships

Answer 4

-Helps understand effect of long-distance
-Allow people to connect over long distances
-fMRI
-Neural activation patterns can indicate whether passionate feelings persist in relationship
-Will VR, robots, AI create proxies for relationships?
-Dating apps

Question 5

Julie and John Gottman’s research on couples fighting

Answer 5

-fighting is good for relationships, not bad
-Can increase connection and improve sex life
-How couples fight in first 3 minutes predicts how rest of conversation and rest of relationship 6 years later will go
-3,000 couples came to lab with vital measuring devices on, talked about day, and rated how they felt after discussion

Question 6

3 major types of conflict from Gottman study

Answer 6

Conflict-avoiders, conflict validators, conflict volatiles

Question 7

Four predictors of relationship demise (gottman study)

Answer 7

-Criticism, blaming on partner’s flaw
-Contempt, scorn
-Defensiveness, act innocent
-Stonewalling, shut down completely
-Flooding (flight, fright, or freeze) with high heart rate
Should take break and calm down