Relationships

Question 1

What is interpersonal attraction?

Answer 1

The reasons people choose to spend time with each other.

Question 2

What are the factors that contribute to attraction?

Answer 2

1. Proximity
2. Interpersonal Rewards
3. Similarity
4. Physical Attractiveness
5. Warmth and Competence

Question 3

What is the matching hypothesis?

Answer 3

We like/love those at the same level of physical attractiveness

Question 4

What are Desirable Personal Attributes?

Answer 4

Personal and cultural differences for what is considered socially desirable.

Question 5

What are the two types of love?

Answer 5

1. Passionate love

2. Companionate love

Question 6

What are the characteristics of passionate love?

Answer 6

1. Wildly emotional
2. Intense physiological arousal and absorption in another.
3. High at the beginning of a relationship but tends to diminish over time, with periodic resurgences.

Question 7

What are the characteristics of companionate love?

Answer 7

1. Deep affection, friendship and emotional intimacy

2. Grows over time, takes the place o passionate love.

Question 8

What are the 6 love styles described by Lee?

Answer 8

1. Eros - a passionate physical and emotional love based on aesthetic enjoyment; stereotype of romantic love, all consuming
2. Ludus - a love that is played as a game or sport; conquest; no relationship lasts for long; finds other becomes boring or too serious
3. Storge - an affectionate love that slowly develops from friendship, comfortable intimacy that slowly grows, lover is thoughtful and warm
4. Pragma - love that is driven by the head, not the heart; undemonstrative, lovers are compatible and satisfy each other’s needs
5. Mania - highly volatile love; obsession; possessive; fueled by low self esteem; fears rejection, highly dependent.
6. Agape - selfless altruistic love; spiritual; motherly love; unconditionally caring, giving and forgiving; no strings attached.

Question 9

What are the components of Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love?

Answer 9

1. Intimacy - feelings of closeness
2. Passion - sensual arousal
3. Commitment - dedication to the other person in the relationship.
   * Different kinds of love vary along the component processes.

Question 10

What are sexual strategies?

Answer 10

The tactics used in selecting mates.

Question 11

What are the characteristics of the male sex strategy?

Answer 11

1. Short term - seek young fertile female
2. Long term - seem committed relationship with sexual access.
3. Men prefer young females.

Question 12

What are the characteristics of the female sex strategy?

Answer 12

1. Women user short term liaisons to assess and attract males.
2. Women will prefer older males with resources.

Question 13

Describe the 3 attachment styles in adults.

Answer 13

1. Secure - easy to get close to others
2. Avoidant - untrusting, fear of intimacy
3. Anxious/Ambivalent - seeks closeness, worry about abandonment.

Question 14

What is the biggest predictor of relationships staying together?

Answer 14

Resolving conflict.

Question 15

According to Gottman, what are the three types of stability?

Answer 15

1. Volatile - loud debate before resolutions
2. Validating - resolution through compromise
3. Avoidant - avoidance of issues of conflict

Question 16

What is required to maintain a relationship?

Answer 16

1. Conflict resolution/dealing with hassles
2. Evaluation of the cot/benefits of staying in the relationship; investment and commitment
3. Overlooking your partners faults (and hoping that they reciprocate)
4. Undervaluing the attractiveness of other potential partners
5. Avoiding cycles of negative reciprocity.