Relationships Flashcards

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1
Q

What is anisogamy?

A

the difference between male and female sex cells
- male = small, mobile, vast numbers
- female = large, static, intervals

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2
Q

What is a consequence of anisogamy?

A

no shortage of fertile males but a fertile woman is a ‘rare’ resource

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3
Q

What are the 2 different mating strategies?

A

Intrasexual selection (mate competition)
Intersexual selection (mate choice)

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4
Q

What is intrasexual selection?

A

when members of one sex compete with eachother for access to members of the opposite sex
- preferred strategy for males

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5
Q

What is intersexual selection?

A

The preference for certain traits in the opposite sex
- preferred strategy for females

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6
Q

What is the importance for ‘good genes’ in intrasexual selection?

A
  • to produce successful offspring
  • to offer protection and support to offspring
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7
Q

Research support for evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

A

BUSS
- asked participants (over 100 over 37 cultures) to rate the importance of a number of characteristics in a sexual partner
- MEN ^ = youth/fertility
- WOMEN ^ = stability

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8
Q

I&D Evolutionary explanations of PP

A

REDUCTIONISM
- argue that strategies for choosing a mate are the result of genetic inheritance and a striving for reproductive success
- fail to account for homosexual relationships

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9
Q

What is self-disclosure?

A

Deliberate, significant information, not normally known by others

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10
Q

Risks of self-disclosure

A
  • social rejection
  • blackmail
  • poorly time disclosure can cause problems
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11
Q

What is the Social Penetration Theory?

A

Reciprocal exchange
- when one person reveals personal information as a sign of trust, the other person must also reveal sensitive
– as they share more, they ‘penetrate’ more deeply into each-other’s lives

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12
Q

Breadth and depth of self-disclosure

A

Breadth –> how many topics r off limits (reduces as disclosure deepens)
Depth –> the gradual levels of disclosure

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13
Q

How can a reciprocal element develop a relationship?

A
  • creates a balance of self-disclosure
    – increased feelings of intimacy
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14
Q

Research support for self-disclosure

A

SPRECHER AND HENDRICK
- found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction in couples and levels of self-disclosure
BUT
not causal

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15
Q

I&D Self-disclosure

A

CULTURE BIAS
- Imposed etic from western cultures
– In USA (individualistic) more sexual thoughts are disclosed than in China (collectivist)

CONCLUSIONS MAY BE OF LIMITED USE

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16
Q

What is the Matching Hypothesis theory?

A

That people choose romantic partners who are roughly of similar attractiveness to themselves
- to do this they must make a judgment about their own ‘value’
– they may compromise to avoid rejection

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17
Q

What is filter theory?

A

suggests that people develop relationships by applying a series of filters to narrow down the pool of available candidates.

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18
Q

What is the 1st level of the filter theory?

A

SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHY
- factors that influence the chance of meeting eachother (e.g geographical location, social class, ethnic group)

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19
Q

What is the 2nd level of the filter theory?

A

SIMILARITY IN ATTITUDES
- partners will often share important beliefs an values (partly due to the 1st filter)

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20
Q

What is the 3rd level of the filter theory?

A

COMPLEMENTARITY OF NEEDS
- the ability of romantic partners to meet eachother’s needs
(compliment eachother when they have what the latter lacks)

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21
Q

Why is social demography important?

A
  • accessibility is a key benefit as it means less effort
  • our realistic field of potential partners is narrowed by social circumstances
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22
Q

Why is similarity of attitudes important?

A
  • encourages deeper communication and promotes self-disclosure in newer couples (less than 18 months)
  • relationship is likely to fizzle out if there is a lack of similarities
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23
Q

Why is complementarity of needs important?

A
  • gives long-term partners the feeling that together they form a whole, which adds depth to the relationship and makes it more likely to flourish
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24
Q

Research support for Filter theory

A

KERCHKOFF + DAVIES
- comp short term (<18 months) and long terms couples
- self-report questionnaires looking at 2nd and 3rd filters
- 7 months after initial questioning, couples were asked abt how close they felt to eachother comp to the beginning
FINDINGS
- 2nd filter was more important in short term and 3rd was most in long

25
Q

Limitation with filter theory

A

LACK TEMPORAL VALIDITY
- the roles of the filters have changed over time
– online dating has expanded the field of availables + social changes have led to relationships less common 30 yrs ago (e.g dif ethnic bgs)

26
Q

I&D Filter theory

A

REDUCTIONIST
- too simplistic and suggest each filter is vital for a long term relationship
- no differentiation between actual and perceived similarity
- to simple to suggest cause and effect

27
Q

What is the Social Exchange Theory?

A

An economic theory that describes relationships as a series of exchanges aiming at balancing rewards and costs.

28
Q

What is the relationship between rewards, costs and profit in the social exchange theory?

A
  • wish to maximise rewards from a relationship (e.g love, sex, support) and minimise costs (e.g time, effort, risk)
  • aim to achieve profit
29
Q

What is a comparison level?

A
  • a standard to which all relationships are compared against
    – based on memories of past experiences and expectation of the future
30
Q

What is a comparison level used for?

A
  • to judge how one partner compares to another potential one on the profitability front
31
Q

What are the stages of relationship development?

A
  • Sampling
  • Bargaining
  • Commitment
  • Institutionalisation
32
Q

What is the comparison level for alternatives?

A
  • the comparison between the potential increase in rewards from an alternative relationship and any costs associated with ending the current relationship
33
Q

What is the sampling stage? (Social Exchange)

A
  • we consider the potential rewards and costs of a relationship and compare it with other relationships available at the time
34
Q

What is the bargaining stage? (Social Exchange)

A
  • we give and receive rewards to test whether a deeper relationship is worthwhile
35
Q

What is the commitment stage? (Social Exchange)

A
  • the relationship increases in predictability so each partner knows how to elicit rewards from the other, which lowers cost
36
Q

What is the institutionalisation stage? (Social Exchange)

A
  • the relationship norms are developed which establishes the patterns of rewards and costs for each partner
37
Q

Limitation for the Social Exchange Theory

A

LACK OF A CLEAR CAUSE AND EFFECT
- claims that dissatisfaction arises after a relationship stops being ‘profitable’
- Argyle argues that we don’t monitor costs and rewards or consider alternatives until we are dissatisfied

38
Q

Research support for Social Exchange theory

A

KURDEK + SCHMITT
- investigated the importance of social exchange factors in determining relationship quality (all cohabitating w no kids)
- Questionnaire (no discussing w eachother)
FINDINGS
- ^ satisfaction associated with perceptions of many beliefs of the current relations AND seeing alternatives as less attractive

39
Q

What is the role of equity?

A
  • equity = fairness
    (both parents levels of profit are roughly the same to reduce over or under benefitting)
40
Q

Emotional consequences for over benefitting

A

Guilt
Shame
Discomfort

41
Q

Emotional consequences for under benefitting

A

Anger
Hostility
Resentment
Humiliation

42
Q

Difference between equality and equity

A

The rewards are distributed fairly, not equally –> inevitably involves negotiations and trade-offs

43
Q

Consequences of inequity

A

A partner who is a subject of inequity will be distressed and dissatisfied with the relationship if it persists

44
Q

Ways to deal with inequity (2)

A
  • The under benefitted partner is usually motivated to make the relationship more suitable (restore actual equity)
  • Costs are now accepted as the norm (restore perceived equity)
45
Q

RESEARCH SUPPORT for equity theory

A

STANDFORD + CANARY
- investigated how equity and satisfaction predicted the use of maintenance strategies (sharing tasks, positivity, emphasising commitment)
FINDINGS
- spouses who were treated equitably tended to be happier and so were more likely to engage in behaviours that added to their spouses send of equity and happiness

45
Q

Limitations for equity theory

A

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
- Not all partners in romantic relationships are concerned about achieving equity
– benevolents = prepared to contribute more to the relationship
– entitleds = believe they deserved to over benefit and accept it w/o feeling guilty

46
Q

What is satisfaction judged by?

A

comparing rewards and costs and is seen as profitable if it has more rewards than costs

47
Q

What is an investment? (r)

A

Anything a person puts into a relationship that will be lost if they leave it

48
Q

What is an intrinsic investment? (e.g)

A

Any resources put directly into the relationship
– money, emotions, self disclosure

49
Q

What is an extrinsic investment? (e.g)

A

Resources that didn’t feature before but are closely associated with the relationship
– mutual friends, memories, children

50
Q

What is the value of commitment in a relationship compared to satisfaction? and why?
(investment theory)

A

Commitment is a consequence of increasing dependence
- they made an investment that they do not want to see go to waste –> work hard to maintain/ repair the relationship

51
Q

What is the intra-psychic phase? (DUCK)

A

The cognitive process occurring within the individual
- the partner thinks about it privately and may share with a trusted friend
- weigh up pros and cons of the relationship

52
Q

What is the dyadic phase? (DUCK)

A

Inter-personal processes between the 2 partners
- a series of confrontations and dissatisfactions are aired(anxiety, hostility etc)
- determination to break the relationship OR desire to repair it

53
Q

What is the social phase? (DUCK)

A

Wider processes involving the couple’s social networking
- break up is made public + partners will seek support
- point of no return –> momentum driven by social forces

54
Q

What is the grave-dressing phase? (DUCK)

A

The aftermath
- saving face and spinning a favourable story of the breakup
- creating a personal story they can live with - tidying memories /rewriting history

55
Q

What is the resurrection phase? (DUCK)

A

Ex-partners begin to use what they learnt from the past relationships to prepare for future ones
- partners may return to an earlier phase

56
Q

Practical application for DUCK

A
  • explains how couples stay together even if they have doubts
57
Q
A
58
Q
A