Relationships Flashcards
Interpersonal Attraction
Attraction between people which leads to the development of platonic or romantic relationships
Interpersonal relationships
Communication or relationships between two people
Social association and connection
Topic describes creation, sustenance and breaking up
Sociobiological theory - evolutionary
Behaviours which support reproduction are naturally selected
Men = should seek young, fertile women
Women = should seek men with good genetics and resources
Research; Marshall (1981) 86% would be kidney donor for their kids, 67% parents, 50% siblings
Re-inforcement Effect Model
We are attracted to those who reward or re-in force us, dislike those who punish us
Rewards = love, money, status
Strength = Helps to explain the initial stages of attraction
Weakness = assumes people are selfish, more relevant to individualistic cultures
Research; Griffiths (1976) feelings scale experiment - positive feelings increase interpersonal attraction
Social Exchange Theory (Thibault and Kelley, 1959)
Economic approach, sees relationships like a business
Rewards = self-esteem, love, respect, stability
Costs = giving up time, loosing financial stability, stress
MIN/MAX PRINCIPLE; people want to minimise loss and maximise profit
Comparison Level; interpretation of how rewarding a relationship should be
Comparison Level with Alt; considering other people’s or previous relationships and if they could find someone of a higher benefit/ less cost
Evaluation = Limited, only heterosexual people
Equity Theory (Hatfield, 1979)
Extended SET putting more of an emphasis on fairness
Balance; both partners are equally satisfied
Over-benefits; guilty for their ‘lion share’
Under-benefits; feel resentful
Change to perspective; what is considered unfair may change, Hatfield (2011) later stages are less likely to keep score
Research; Utne et al (1984) self-report scales for recently married couples, 118 participants 16-45 aged
Findings; people are most satisfied when there relationships are equal
Proximity Effect
Proximity leads to increased chances of attraction stimuli - important for face to face relationships
Research; Festinger et al (1950) study on student university accommodation, most likely to be close with those who stay next door (41%) then with those two doors down and then end of the corridor (10%)
Matching hypothesis
Walster et al (1966) ; people tend to be attracted to those who are equal to them in terms of attractiveness
Research; Murstein (1971) married partners often rated as being very similar in attractiveness levels
Kelley (1959) Sampling Theory of Relationships
Sampling; partners consider possible costs/ benefits and compare to other options available
Bargaining; partners exchange costs and benefits through direct or indirect interactions
Commitment; relationship is stable, predictable exchange of costs and rewards
Institutionalisation; established costs and benefits, relationship settled
Social Exchange Theory
Rusbult (1983)
Aim = To explain why people remain in relationships
Procedure = Longitudinal questionnaire with 17 female and 17 male participants (heterosexual) questions about costs, benefits, investment and comparisons with alternatives
Findings = cost/ benefit applied to start less, considered more as relationship developed, alternatives became less attractive over time and as satisfaction increased so did commitment
Social Exchange Theory
Spreecher (2001)
Supports Rusbult
Findings = Comparison Levels for alternatives were a strong predictor of commitment in a relationship and that rewards were important for satisfaction, especially for women
Meaning people do weight up costs and rewards (SET theory)
Filter theory
Kerckhoff and Davis (1962)
Aim = To study relationships and determine the criteria which people look to fill when selecting a potential partner
Procedure = Studied student couples (mainly short-term, had been together less than 18 months)
Findings = People are initially attracted to each other because they are similar. Sociodemographic characteristics; same class, age, proximity
Filter theory;
Sociodemographic characteristics
• First level
People are attracted to those who…
• Share sociodemographic characteristics
• Physical proximity
• Level of education
• Social class
• Religion
• Attention
Filter theory;
Similarity of Attitudes
• Second level
People find people attractive who they share core values and beliefs with…
e.g. careers, family
Filter theory;
Complimentary
• Third level
Refers to each partner having traits the other partner lacks
e.g one partner who is extroverted and one who is introverted
