Relationships booklet 3: Theories of relationships

Question 1

What are the 4 theories of romantic relationships?

Answer 1

Social Exchange Theory (SET)
Equity Theory
Rusbult’s Investment Model
Duck’s Phase Model

Question 2

3 theories are on relationship formation and maintenance, 1 is on relationship breakdown… which is on breakdown?

Answer 2

Duck’s phase model

Question 3

What are the different sections of AO1 SET?

Answer 3

-SET
-Stages of relationship development
-Comparison Level (CL)
-Comparison Level for Alternative (CLalt)

Question 4

Explain SET (Social Exchange Theory)…

Answer 4

-Created by Thibault and Kelley, it’s an economic theory that states that we form a relationship that is rewarding to us. We also attempt to maximise rewards and minimise our costs.
-Rewards minus costs is the outcome

Question 5

When do we maintain a relationship according to SET?

Answer 5

When it is profitable

Question 6

What constitutes a reward and cost according to SET?

Answer 6

It’s subjective, one person might consider something to be a reward that another doesn’t

Question 7

What are some examples of rewards in SET?

Answer 7

-Financial support
-Attention
-Comfort

Question 8

What are some examples of costs in SET?

Answer 8

-Time
-Money
-Arguments/tensions

Question 9

Explain the four stages of relationship development…

Answer 9

1. Sampling - Consider potential rewards and costs of a relationship
2. Bargaining - Give and receive rewards to test whether deeper relationship possible
3. Commitment - Relationship more predictable, each know how to elicit rewards from other
4. Institutionalisation - Relationship norms developed, establishing patterns of rewards and costs

Question 10

Explain Comparison level (CL)…

Answer 10

One way that they check the profit in a relationship, relationship is maintained if potential profit exceeds our comparison level

Question 11

What different things could comparison level be affected by?

Answer 11

-Self esteem
-Role models
-Tv/media

Question 12

Explain CLalt…

Answer 12

When we weigh up the potential increase in rewards from an alternative partner against any costs associated with ending the current relationship
-If quality of alternative higher, don’t maintain current relation

Question 13

What are the evaluations of SET?

Answer 13

😀Explains all types of romantic relationships, including the abusive ones and homosexuals
😀Evidence to support (Simpson)
😢Lacks ecological validity (relationship based on feelings and emotion, not considered)
😢Ignores the equity theory

Question 14

What is equity AO1 split into?

Answer 14

-Equity
-Consequences of inequity

Question 15

Explain equity theory…

Answer 15

-Another economic theory, developed in light of problems with SET, suggests that maximising rewards and minimising costs are important, but equity (balance) is more important

Question 16

What does equity basically mean?

Answer 16

Fairness, what matters most to maintain a relationship is that the profit of both partners should be roughly the same

Question 17

What are the consequences of inequity?

Answer 17

When one partner puts more into a relationship than they get out, they become distressed dissatisfied and the greater this inequity the greater the dissatisfaction

Question 18

How can inequity be fixed?

Answer 18

By making adjustments in the relationship to ensure there is equity

Question 19

What are the evaluations of equity theory?

Answer 19

😀/😢Evidence to support equity theory (Utne)/ problems with research
😢Ignores individual differences
😢Unrealistic (Sprecher)
😢Culturally biased (Aumer-Ryan)

Question 20

What happened in SET study, Simpson?

Answer 20

Showed participants pictures of people and they had to judge attractiveness, those in happy romantic relationships more likely to rate them lower than those not in happy relationships

Question 21

What happened in study Utne?

Answer 21

Survey on 118 recently married couples aged between 16-45, found the couples who perceived them to be more equitable were more satisfied than those who saw themselves as being overbenefitting/underbenefitting (Survey though = problems)

Question 22

What happened in Sprecher?

Answer 22

He suggested that a close relationship is too complex to be all about profits and equity, for example it might be the unconditional love that keeps them together, not profits

Question 23

What happened in Aumer-Ryan?

Answer 23

Found that there are cultural differences in the link between equity and satisfaction, couples in collectivist cultures more satisfied over benefitting, compared to individualistic cultures who needed equity for satisfaction

Question 24

What are the different sections of Rusbult’s investment model

Answer 24

-The investment model
-Factor 1
-Factor 2
-Factor 3

Question 25

What is Rusbult’s investment model?

Answer 25

-States commitment is the most important reason to maintain a relationship, this is because they have made an investment that they don’t want to waste
-According to this model, commitment depends on three factors
-This is also a development of SET, so there are many similarities

Question 26

What is factor 1 of Rusbult’s investment model?

Answer 26

Satisfaction level,
-Referring to the positive v negative effect experienced in a relationship, there is greater satisfaction if there is a more positive effect experienced and they receive more rewards than costs
-Satisfaction influenced by degree to which partner meets specific needs
-If satisfaction level high, more committed and to be maintained

Question 27

What is factor 2 of Rusbult’s investment model?

Answer 27

Comparison with Alternative,
-Refers to the desirability of the best alternative to the current relationship
-Based on the extent that another person could meet their needs better, if quality of alternatives is high commitment is lower, and opposite = more likely to maintain

Question 28

What is factor 3 of Rusbult’s investment model?

Answer 28

Investment,
-Investment size, this is the amount and importance of the resources associated to the relationship, an investment is anything that we could lose if the relationship breaksdown

Question 29

What are the different types of investments in Factor 3?

Answer 29

-Intrinsic: things we put directly into a relationship
-Extrinsic: Resources that previously didn’t feature in the relationship

Question 30

When does Rusbult’s model suggest the relationship is likely to be maintained?

Answer 30

If the investment level is high, we are more committed and it is more likely to be maintained

Question 31

What are the evaluations of Rusbult’s investment model?

Answer 31

😀Evidence to support (Le and Agnew)
😀Explains all relationships (homosexuals/abusive)
😀Helps us to explain real life infidelity
😢Problems with methodology (surveys)
😢Problems with methodology (correlational)

Question 32

What happened in Le and Agnew study?

Answer 32

Reviewed 52 studies from 1970s-1999, including 11,000 participants and 5 countries. Found that satisfaction, comparison with alternatives and investment size all correlated with commitment. Also those relationships with the most commitment lasted the longest

Question 33

What is ducks phase model?

Answer 33

He argued that ending a relationship is not a one-off but a process that takes time and goes through 4 phases
-Each phase has a threshold

Question 34

What is the first of Ducks phases?

Answer 34

Intra-psychic phase
-Dissatisfaction with the current relationship from one partner expressed, that partner begins to withdraw from the other, begin to brood on their partner’s faults
-Threshold is: I can’t stand it anymore

Question 35

What is the second of Duck’s phases?

Answer 35

Dyadic phase
-Unhappiness is now out in the open, couple have relationship discussions and talk through possible changes to solve difficulties
-Threshold is: I would be justified in leaving

Question 36

What is the third of Duck’s phases?

Answer 36

Social Phase
-Start to tell friends and family about difficulties and possibility of a split
-Threshold is: I mean it

Question 37

What is fourth of Duck’s phases?

Answer 37

Grave-dressing phase
-Both parties try give their side of the story to people they want to think well of them, each partner creates their own version.
-Threshold is: It’s now inevitable

Question 38

What is the fifth bonus phase in Duck’s model?

Answer 38

Resurrection phase
-Make sense of value, evaluate failure and prepare for future relationships
-“Time to get a new life”

Question 39

What are the evaluations of Duck’s phase model?

Answer 39

😀practical application
😢Ignores individual differences
😢Research conducted to come up with this theory is retrospective
😢Socially sensitive area
😢Descriptive not explanatory