Personality pt 5 relationships

Question 1

What 3 components should we consider with why we are attracted to others?

Answer 1

Personality variables (eg. big five traits), cognitive variables (eg. evaluative strategies), psychosocial factors (eg. similarity, age etc.)

Question 2

What are Kreuger and Caspi’s reasons for interpersonal attraction?

Answer 2

similarity hypothesis
repulsion hypothesis
optimal dissimilarity hypothesis
ideal partner hypothesis
optimal outbreeding hypothesis

Question 3

Which of their hypotheses did Kreuger & Caspi’s 1993 study support/not support?

Answer 3

Evidence for…
– Similarity, repulsion, ideal partner hypotheses
Evidence lacking for…
– Optimal dissimilarity & optimal outbreeding hypotheses

Question 4

What are Felmlee’s 5 common themes of fatal attraction?

Answer 4

Nice > Passive
Strong > Stubborn
Funny > Flaky
Outgoing > Over the top Caring > Clinging

Question 5

What are the 3 points of Sternberg’s triangle of love?

Answer 5

Passion, commitment, intimacy

Question 6

What are Lee’s colours of love?

Answer 6

Eros - passionate love
Ludus - game-playing love
Storge - trust, respect & friendship
Mania - obsessive, jealous love
Agape - selfless love
Pragma - a practical outlook on love

Question 7

What type of lovers are men and women according to Hendrick & Hendrick’s love attitude scale?

Answer 7

Men: Ludic and Manic lovers
Women: Storgic and Pragmatic lovers

Question 8

Which colours of love relate to extraversion, neuroticism & psychoticism (Davis, 1996)?

Answer 8

Extraversion:
Positive association with Ludus/Eros love styles
Neuroticism:
Positive association with Mania
Negative association with Pragma
Psychoticism:
Positive association with Ludus
Negatively associated with Storge and Agape love styles

Question 9

What did Hazan and Shaver find out about the relationship between attachment in childhood and adult relationships?

Answer 9

Similar behavioural patterns with
romantic partners eg. securely attached children, securely attached lovers

Question 10

What big five personality types would be expected of someone with an avoidant attachment style? (Baeckstroem and Holmes (2001); Gallo et al. (2003))

Answer 10

Higher neuroticism
Lower extraversion/agreeableness/conscientiousness

Question 11

What big five personality types would be expected of someone with a resistant attachment style? (Baeckstroem and Holmes (2001); Gallo et al. (2003))

Answer 11

Higher neuroticism
Lower agreeableness

Question 12

What big five personality types would be expected of someone with a secure attachment style? (Baeckstroem and Holmes (2001); Gallo et al. (2003))

Answer 12

Higher extraversion/agreeableness
Lower neuroticism

Question 13

What is the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1983)?

Answer 13

Commitment determines relationship viability - elements which determine commitment:
satisfaction (costs vs rewards)
quality of alternatives
investments

Question 14

What are the response categories for ending a relationship and the two main dimensions?

Answer 14

Exit strategy: quite negative and blunt
Voice strategy: discussing issues, constructive
Loyalty strategy: stays committed even though it’s not going very well, see what happens
Neglect strategy: ignoring the problem/the relationship, doing nothing, letting things fade
– Constructiveness (V/L) vs Destructiveness (E/N)
– Activity (E/V) vs Passivity (L/N)

Question 15

How do people with different attachment styles respond to breakups (Davis, Shaver & Vernon, 2003)?

Answer 15

Resistant - distress, anger, dysfunctional, reluctant to let go
Avoidant - less distress, avoidant tactics and self-reliant strategies
Secure - support of friends & family as coping strategy