Relationships

Question 1

What is adaptive ness in terms of the evolutionary explanation for partner preferences?

Answer 1

The quality of being able to change to suit different conditions

Question 2

What is anisogamy?

Answer 2

Differences between male and female sex cells

Question 3

What is inter-sexual selection?

Answer 3

Refers to the sexual selection for increased attractiveness to members of the opposite sex. This form of sexual selection tends to lead to a ‘display’ or ‘advertisement’ traits such as showy or colourful body parts

Question 4

What is Intra-sexual selection?

Answer 4

Refers to sexual selection for increased ability to compete directly with members of the same sex for access to the opposite sex. I tease Hal selection tends to lead to weaponry, armour, fighting ability, and threats displays. It tends to be a male trait

Question 5

What is physical dismorphism?

Answer 5

The idea that sexes of the same species exhibit different characteristics

Question 6

What did David Buss study?

Answer 6

Over 10,000 adults in 33 countries. He found that females universally putting importance on resource related characteristics in a partner, However males preferred younger mates and put more importance on the females ability to reproduce e.g. attractiveness

Question 7

What did Buss discover about Sexual Selection and Mate choice?

Answer 7

He discovered that makes universally put importance on attractive and healthy looks which are signs of fertility. And women look for stability to look after their offspring

Question 8

What are the two types of sexual selection?

Answer 8

Intersexual selection and Intrasexual Selection

Question 9

What did Clark and Hatfield study?

Answer 9

They asked male and female student volunteers to approach opposite sex students individually on a uni campus asking the same question ‘ will you go to bed with me tonight’

Question 10

What did Clark and Hatfield find about their study?

Answer 10

They found marked gender differences in the responses: 75% of males said yes and 0 females said yes

Question 11

What are the evaluation points for the evolutionary approach?

Answer 11

Ignore cultural and social influences
Mate choice may be more complicated than evolutionary explanations
Suffer from hard determinism

Question 12

What is self disclosure?

Answer 12

The idea that relationship formation is built off trust with another person which is demonstrated by gradually revealing personal information.

Question 13

What is the Social Penetration Theory?

Answer 13

Claims that by gradually revealing emotions and experiences and listening to their reciprocal sharing, people gain a greater understanding of each other and display trust

Question 14

Who proposed the Social Penetration Theory?

Answer 14

Altman and Taylor (1973)

Question 15

What are the two dimensions of Self -Disclosure?

Answer 15

Breadth and Depth

Question 16

Explain the two dimensions of self disclosure.

Answer 16

At first people often share a lot of information about certain aspects of themselves(breadth) but consider some topics to be ‘off limits’(depth). As they build trust in their partner, breadth increases and then depth also increases

Question 17

What is the Halo Effect Theory?

Answer 17

Where we perceive them to have a halo and this therefore makes them appear more desirable on the physical level and personality level.

Question 18

Who proposed the Halo effect?

Answer 18

Karen Dion (1972)

Question 19

What did Karen Dion find?

Answer 19

That physically attractive people are consistently rates as kind,strong, sociable, and successful compared to unattractive people. Because we have preconceived ideas about them, we then act more positively towards them

Question 20

What is Matching Hypothesis Theory?

Answer 20

It explains that we do not select the most attractive person as a potential partner but are attracted to people who matches us in terms of physical attractiveness. It suggests that people assess their own value and make ‘realistic choices’ by selecting the best potential partner who is also likely to share the same level of attraction

Question 21

Who conducted the research on Matching Hypothesis?

Answer 21

Elaine Walster (1966)

Question 22

What is the filter theory?

Answer 22

There are several layers of filters that people apply to attractiveness

Question 23

What is the first filter called in the Filter theory?

Answer 23

Sociodemographic Characteristics

Question 24

What is the sociodemographic characteristics?

Answer 24

Physical proximity, levels of education amd other important factors. People are more likely to build relationships with people who are near them geographically

Question 25

What is the second level of the filter theory?

Answer 25

Similarity of beliefs

Question 26

What is the similarity of attitudes in the filter theory

Answer 26

If they share same code beliefs and values. If people barely have anything in common, the relationship rarely develop

Question 27

What is the third stage of the filter theory?

Answer 27

Complementarity

Question 28

What is complementarity in the filter theory?

Answer 28

Refers to each of the partners having some traits that the other partner lacks, and helping each other fulfil their needs

Question 29

What are the strengths of the Filter Theory?

Answer 29

Supported by research studies

Has face value

Question 30

What are the Weaknesses of the Filter Theory?

Answer 30

Limits the range of real life romantic experiences it can explain
Researchers claim that direction of causality should be reversed
Culture Bias
Fail to replicate the initial findings

Question 31

What psychologists came up with the social exchange theory?

Answer 31

Thibault and Kelly (1959)

Question 32

What is the social exchange theory?

Answer 32

Claim that partners in relationships strive to maximise rewards and minimise costs

Question 33

Whatarevthe two levels of the social exchange theory?

Answer 33

Comparison level

Comparison levels kf alternatives

Question 34

What is the comparison level?

Answer 34

Based on persons ideas of how much reward they deserve to receive in relationships. These comparison levels are close linked to a persons self esteem- a persons with high self esteem will have higher expectations of rewards in relationships whereas a person with a low self esteem will have over expectations

Question 35

What is the Comparison level for alternatives?

Answer 35

It concerns a persons perception of whether other potential relationships would be more rewarding than being in their current relationship. According to the social exchange theory, people will stick to their current relationships as long as they find them more profitable than the alternatives

Question 36

What does Duck say?

Answer 36

If people consider themselves to be content in their current relationships, they may not even notice that there are available alternatives

Question 37

According to Thibault and Kelly, what are the three stages a relationship goes through?

Answer 37

Sampling stage
Bargaining stage
Commitment stage

Question 38

What is the sampling stage?

Answer 38

Where people explore potential rewards and costs of relationships, not just romantic ones, either by direct experience or by observing others

Question 39

What is the Bargaining stage?

Answer 39

Which is the first stage of any romantic relationship. At this stage, partners exchange rewards and costs, figure out the most profitable exchanges and negotiate by dynamics of the relationships

Question 40

What is the commitment stage?

Answer 40

When a relationship becomes more stable, and partners become familiar with sources of rewards and costs, amd each other’s expectations, so rewards increase and costs lessen

Question 41

What is the strengths of the social exchange theory?

Answer 41

Research support

Useful real life applications

Question 42

What are the weaknesses of the social exchange theory?

Answer 42

Research that lacks mundane realism

Takes a nomothetic approach