P2 - Relationships - formation of personal relationships Flashcards
bio, cog and soc
what is a romantic relationship
‘a relationship involving strong and frequent interdependence in many domains of life’ (Smith et al. 2014)
what does Maslow think of relationships?
that we have a basic human need to belong and to be accepted. Relationships are important sources of happiness and unhappiness in people’s lives
what is the statistic to why it’s important to study relationships?
a meta-analysis of 148 studies found that those with a stronger social relationships had a 50% lower risk of health problems. (Holt-Lunstad et al. 2010)
what is the debate in the formation of personal relationships?
the definition of ‘love’ is very hard to define as everyone has different definitions
what is the definition of love?
an intense affection for another person based on personal or familial ties
what are the points for the discussion paragraph in formation?
- not one approach can totally explain formation of relationships
- behaviours also need biopsychosocial explanations
- each approach gives an unique insight into processes
what is attraction understood to be?
evoking the interest, admiration or attention of another person
what are the biological explanations for formation of relationships
- natural selection
- oxytocin
how is natural selection linked to relationships?
behaviours that best suit the gene pool are passed down from generations.
what is MHC gene?
major histocompatibility complex
- makes molecules that enable the immune system to recognise pathogens.
- the more diverse the MHC genes are, the stronger the immune system of the offspring.
- evolutionary psychologists argue that our ‘smell’ is the sign of our MHC
what is the research supporting MHC genes?
Wedekind (1995)
what is the aim of wedekind?
to determine whether MHCs would affect mate choice
what is the sample in Wedekind?
49 female and 44 males from Uni of Bern, Switzerland.
each participant was ‘typed’ for their MHC and a wide variety was used.
noted if women were taking oral contraceptives
participants did not know each other as they all did different subject areas.
what was the procedure for wedekind 1995
men were asked to wear a tshirt for two nights and to keep it in an open plastic bag during the day
they were given unscented detergent, unscented soap, no deodrants or perfumes, no tobacco or drinking alcohol, no spicy food, no sexual activity
2 days later, the women would rank the 7 tshirts which were in a cardboard box with a ‘smelling hole’ in it.
the women were tested in the second week after menstruation as they are most odour sensitive at this time. they also had to do a nasal spray for 14 days prior to prevent colds.
3/7 had similar MHC, 3/7 had dissimilar and one had a control
they would have to rate them with 0-10 of intensity and pleasantness
what were the results from wedekind 1995?
women scored men as more pleasant when they had different MHC genes.
this suggests that MHC influence human mate choice
oral contraceptives reversed this, implying contraceptives change a female’s sense of smell and influence mate choice.
what was the conclusion from wedekind 1995
women preferred the odours of men with a dissimilar immune system, as it increases health of potential baby
supports evolutionary explanations of mate selection and demonstrates how attraction can be influenced by biological factors.
link the conclusion to the theory for Wedekind 1995
In wedekind’s study, women chose the odour of men with diverse MHC to their own, meaning the MHC gene could recognise more pathogens. Choosing a partner with a dissimiliar MHC gene would allow for a stronger offspring which is why the woman would be attracted as it gives the greatest advantage for the offspring
what is the critical thinking for Wedekind 1995?
+ double blind experiment
+ high controls
- sample was students
- study cannot explain same-sex relationships, meaning there must be other factors influencing the formation of relationships
how does the birth control pill contradict the MHC theory?
As shown in Wedekind’s study, the birth control pill changes who women are attracted to, as they want a partner with less testosterone markers and similar MHC genes.
Therefore, maybe the birth control pill is a more important biological explanation for the formation of relationships than the MHC gene given that 24.4% of women in the US in 2023 were taking a contraceptive which increases levels of progesterone.
what is oxytocin?
hormone which is produced by the hypothalamus and secreted by the pituitary gland
acts on organs in the bodys and as a chemical messenger, controlling aspects of the reprodctive system suvh as childbirth and lactation.
plays a role in mother-child attachment, social bonding and increase in trust.
what is the role of trust in relationships?
trust is an ‘essential social tool’ that allows people to form meaningful relationships, but bonds of trust can be easily broken.
what is the research supporting oxytocin?
Ditzen et al 2009
what is the aim of ditzen 2009?
to investigate the role of oxytocin in how couples diagnose a conentious issue. It is hypothesised that participants who recieved oxytocin would engage in more positive communication.
what is the procedure of ditzen et al 2009
researchers used a double blind placebo controlled design
47 heterosexual couples
each couple either had oxytocin or placebo intranasally.
videotaped as they engaged in a discussion about a topic which would lead to conflict
conflict session was coded for verbal and nonverbal interaction
level of stress hormone cortisol in their saliva was repeatedly measured during the experiment.
what were the findings for Ditzen et al 2009
both men and women oxytocin improved positive communicaton and significantly reduced cortisol levels after the discussion, compared to the placebo.
