Relationships Flashcards
Evolutionary explanations for partner preference-Sexual selection
Certain characteristics make an individual more likely to reproduce, these don’t always make them more likely to survive but do give them a reproductive advantage, can be inter-sexual or intra-sexual
Evolutionary explanations for partner preference-Parental Investment theory
Male investment in offspring is smaller than female, based on idea of pair bonds, as females have concealed ovulation males must couple in order to guard her, and sexual jealousy, as female infidelity would lead to a waste of male resources
Attraction and relationship formation-Matching Hypothesis
The idea that we couple with those of similar attractiveness, men are more likely to see attractiveness as more important in a relationship
Attraction and relationship formation-Filter Theory (Davies)
Relationships progress through 3 filters, social demographic (they are similar age or area), attitude similarity (share attitudes) and complimentary filter (compliment each other)
Attraction and relationship formation-Self-Disclosure
Important factor in relationship development, can be verbal or non-verbal
Virtual relationships-Online Self-Disclosure
People disclose more online as there are less negative repercussions, know as ‘online inhibition effect’
Virtual relationships-Absence of gating
Obstacles such as shyness and appearance that prevent us from forming relationships don’t occur online
Relationship theories-Social Exchange theory
People attempt to maximise profit and limit costs in a relationship, when cost outweighs profit we end relationship
Relationship theories-Equity theory
We weigh up rewards and costs and have an expectation that relationship should be fair
Relationship theories-Investment Model
Stability of relationship is determined by commitment, commitment consists of satisfaction, comparison with alternatives and investment
Duck’s model of Relationship Breakdown
4 stage model, intra-psychic phase (at least one person is unhappy), dyadic phase (couple can resolve issue or not), social phase (friends and family informed of problems), grave dressing phase (break up, attempts to portray your side of the story)
Parasocial relationships-Levels of Parasocial relationship
One way relationships with celebrities, McCutcheon created celebrity attitudes scale, entertainment social (relationship is source of fun), intense personal (obsessive thoughts of celebrity), borderline pathological (thoughts turned into harmful behaviours)
Parasocial relationships-Attachment Theory
Based on Bowlby’s internal working model, those adults who were insecurely attached are more likely to form a parasocial relationships
Parasocial relationships-Absorption Addiction model
McCutcheon, people form relationships due to deficits in their lives, absorption (the life of a celebrity can provide a sense of fulfilment), absorption occurs during entertainment social phase and can become addictive if it moves to the 2nd or 3rd stage
Buss
Questionnaire using 10,000 people from 37 cultures on partner preference, found women favoured variables associated with gaining resources and men favours variables associated to reproductive capacity
Clark and Hatfield
Asked strangers on uni campus whether they’d have sex with them, go on a date with them or go back to their house, 75% of men said yes to sex, 0% of women said yes, men have little commitment in a one night stand and show no commitment to raise an offspring
Walster et al
Electronic dance, men and women sold tickets and paired randomly, asked 4 months later whether it progressed further, found more attractive partners where preferred by their date and equally attractive weren’t more liked
Kerckhoff and Davies
Questionnaire on similarity of attitudes in a couple, found attitude similarity most important in keeping couple together 0-18 months, after this it was the ability to meet each others needs
Sprecher et al
Interaction 1- first PP self-disclosed for 2 mins
Interaction 2- second PP did the same
Listener liked discloser more after first condition and then equal after second, suggesting self-disclosure makes us more likeable
Joinson
Condition 1-Half disclosed face to face half bud computer chat
Condition 2-Half disclosed via computer chat half via video chat
Found people disclose more online then gave to face, but less in video chat
McKenna et al
Two 20 min interactions between male and female, control condition, both meeting face to face, experimental condition first meeting was online second was face to face, found liking was higher in those that met online first
Floyd and Wasner
Asked students in relationships to complete questionnaire about commitment, satisfaction and availability of others, found commitment was strongly related to satisfaction and availability of others
Hatfield et al
Newlyweds asked about what they put in and got out of relationship, most satisfied were those in an ‘equal’ situation
Le and Agnew
Meta analysis of relationship studies, found correlation between satisfaction, comparison with alternatives, investment and commitment, also found commitment was a key predictor of whether couples stay together
Lefabreve et al
Survey on college students who used Facebook the most and their use in context with a break up, 22% had no use at all, 22% went through relation cleansing (changing status to single), 10% used it to stalk ex-partner
Roberts
Studied students, found correlation between insecure attachment and frequently contacting celebrities
Maltby et al
Asked students to complete celebrity attitude scale and health questionnaire, found positive correlation between anxiety and depression and more extreme parasocial relationships
