Relationship Studies Flashcards
Describe study into evolutionary explanation
Method - explored what males and females look for in marriage partner using 10,000 people from 37 different cultures. Asked questions relating to age and a variety of attributes that evolutionary theory predicts should be important in partner preference
Findings - characteristics signally reproductive capacity more valued by men
Females valued “good financial prospect” more
Describe study into physical attractiveness
Found that physical attractive people were rated as more politically knowledgeable and competent than unattractive people
Describe study into filter theory
Method - observed friendships that formed in a block of apartments for married students. Students lived across 17 buildings
Findings - the most popular people lived nearest to the staircases and post boxes because they were most likely to be bumped into
Describe study into social exchange theory
Method - investigated 100 women who were staying at a women’s refuge. All women had been abused by their partners. The researchers measured some factors and monitored them for a year after leaving the refuge to see whether or not they returned to the abuser
Findings - satisfaction high, commitment high and independence low most likely to return immediately
Describe study into equity theory
Methods - newlyweds asked series of questions to measure perceived level of equity in their relationship
Findings - support the idea that men and women who felt more equitably rested were more content in their marriage
Describe study into investment model
Method- gave 171 undergraduate students a 29 item questionnaire called Investment model scale. Self report measured:
- commitment level
- relationship satisfaction
- quality of alternatives
- investment size
Findings - commitment level significantly increased with investment size and decreased with quality of alternatives
Describe study into virtual relationships
Those who better express their true self over the internet were more likely than others to have formed close online relationships and move these friendships to face to face basis.k
Describe study into virtual relationships
Found that lonely and socially anxious people felt more able to express their true selves in CMC relationships. Percentage of lasting relationships which began as CMC for these people were higher than formed in FTC
Describe study into physical attractiveness
Method - 752 students bought welcome week tickets for a dance. When they bought the ticket they were told that information they gave about them would be fed into a computer and this would provide the idea date. They were actually randomly allocated to any partner. When students were giving their date an unseen observer marked them on attractiveness. After spending 2 hours with their dates, students were asked how much they liked their partner
Findings - found that those who were physically attractive were liked the most. me asked out a partner if they found them attractive
Describe study into parasocial relationships
Method - investigated the link between celebrity worship and body image in male and females aged 14-16 years. Questionnaires on body images and regression analysis were used
Findings- researchers found that female adolescents tended to have a poor body image
