Relationships evaluation and studies (Lesson 1-4)

Question 1

Darwin (1871)

Answer 1

Sexual selection is about the selection of characteristics that aid successful reproduction rather than survival. Although successful reproduction would ultimately aid survival.

Question 2

Buss (1993)

Answer 2

While men are fearful of partners being sexually unfaithful, females worry about emotional unfaithfulness due to a fear of their partner spending resources on other females.

Question 3

Fisher (1930)

Answer 3

sexy sons hypothesis, females select attractive males as they will produce sons with the same features increasing their sons and their own reproductive fitness

Question 4

Zahavi (1975)

Answer 4

Handicap hypothesis, females select males with handicaps, demonstrating superior genetic quality.

Question 5

What are the strengths of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?

Answer 5

Research support from: - Clark and Hatfield (1989), - Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999), - David Buss (1989)

Question 6

What are the weaknesses of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?

Answer 6

• Too simplistic (Buss and Schmitt (2016)), - Not considered social and cultural influences (Bereczkei et al (1997)), - Cannot explain homosexual preferences (Lawson et al (2014))

Question 7

Clark and Hatfield (1989) (Research support for inter-sexual selection)

Answer 7

Sent m+f psych students out on a uni campus, approaching others with an offer to go to bed with them. 0% of females agreed and 75% of males agreed. Supports view that females are choosier than males

Question 8

Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999) (Research support for inter-sexual selection)

Answer 8

Examined idea that older women do not disclose their true age in personal advertisements because men judge prospective females on age (due to fertility) True for women 35-50 to find high quality partners before menopause.

Question 9

David Buss (1989) (Research support for intra-sexual selection)

Answer 9

Survey of 10,000 adults in 33 countries. Asked questions relating to evolutionary theory attributes. Females place greater value on resource related characteristics and males valued physical attractiveness and youth.

Question 10

How are evolutionary explanations for partner preferences reductive?

Answer 10

It assumes one strategy is adaptive. There are other factors that might be relevant such as long term relationship. Buss and Schmitt (2016) argued its complexity.

Question 11

Buss and Schmitt (2016)

Answer 11

Argue that both males and females who are looking for long term relationships are much choosier, looking for partners that are loving, loyal and kind.

Question 12

How do evolutionary explanations for partner preferences underestimate social and cultural influences?

Answer 12

Partner preferences over the past century have been influenced by changing social norms of behaviour, developing much faster than evolution and have come about due to cultural influences like contraception.

Question 13

Bereczkei et al (1997)

Answer 13

Women’s new role in the workplace means they aren’t dependent on men for financial support so their mate preferences have changes as they no longer rely on men being bread winners.

Question 14

Why can’t evolutionary explanations for partner preferences explain homosexual preferences?

Answer 14

Because they aren’t looking for genetic fitness

Question 15

Lawson et al (2014)

Answer 15

looked at personal ads by both heterosexual and homosexual individuals and found preferences differed.

Question 16

Altman and Taylor (1973)

Answer 16

Social Penetration Theory - disclosures in a relationship become increasingly intimate as the relationship develops, it must be a reciprocal exchange

Question 17

Reis and Shaver (1988)

Answer 17

For a relationship to develop their needs to be reciprocity

Question 18

What are the strengths of self disclosure as a factor affecting attraction?

Answer 18

Research support for social penetration:
+ Sprecher and Hendrick (2004)
+ Sprecher et al (2013)
+ Has practical value, (Haas and Stafford (1998))

Question 19

Sprecher and Hendrick (2004)

Answer 19

Studied heterosexual couples and found positive correlation between relationship satisfaction and self disclosure. Those who reciprocated self disclosure were more committed.

Question 20

Sprecher et al (2013)

Answer 20

Further study confirmed the reciprocity of self disclosure as a factor that helped relationships to become closer and more satisfying.

Question 21

How does self disclosure have practical value?

Answer 21

it can help people who want to improve the communication in their relationships as they can use it to increase intimacy

Question 22

Haas and Stafford (1998)

Answer 22

57% of homosexual men and women said open and honest self disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened relationship

Question 23

What are the weaknesses of self disclosure as a factor affecting attraction?

Answer 23

• Much of the research is correlational, - Not true for all cultures (Nu Tang et al (2013))

Question 24

How is self disclosure not true for all cultures?

Answer 24

not true that increasing depth and breadth of self disclosure leads to more satisfying and intimate romantic relationships studied in individualistic and collectivist cultures

Question 25

Nu Tang et al (2013)

Answer 25

reviews research into sexual self disclosure and concluded men and women in individualistic cultures self disclose more sexual thoughts and feelings than in collectivist cultures.

Question 26

Shackelford and Larsen (1997)

Answer 26

people with symmetrical faces are rated as more attractive as it shows genetic fitness

Question 27

Dion et al (1972)

Answer 27

physically attractive people are consistently described as strong, sociable and successful when compared to unattractive people

Question 28

What are the advantages of the Halo effect?

Answer 28

Research evidence:
+ Palmer and Peterson (2012)
+ Cunningham et al (1995)
+ Kim (1997)

Question 29

What are the weaknesses of the Halo effect?

Answer 29

• Research evidence to contradict the halo effect (Towhey)

Question 30

Towhey

Answer 30

asked male and female participants to rate how much they liked an individual based on a photo and some info. Also completed a MACHO scale and found those who scored higher judged physical attractiveness more.

Question 31

Walster and Walster (1969)

Answer 31

matching hypothesis, made the computer dance where partners were randomly allocated and the hypothesis did not match

Question 32

Berscheid et al (1971)

Answer 32

replicated the computer dance study but this time each participant was able to select their partner from people of varying degrees of attractiveness and they chose people that matched them

Question 33

What are the advantages of the matching hypothesis?

Answer 33

Research support from Walsters study
+ Practical use
+ Feingold (1988)

Question 34

Feingold (1988)

Answer 34

Meta-analysis of 17 studies and found significant correlation in ratings of attractiveness between romantic partners

Question 35

What is the weakness of the matching hypothesis?

Answer 35

• not supported by real world research (Taylor et al (2011))

Question 36

Taylor et al (2011)

Answer 36

studied the logs of a popular online dating site. This was a real life test of matching hypothesis. Online daters sought meetings with people more physically attractive than themselves appearing not to consider their own level of attractiveness.

Question 37

Kerchoff and Davis (1962)

Answer 37

There were filtering factors at different stages of the partner selection process as people try to choose the best fit

Question 38

Kerchoff and Davis (1962) procedure

Answer 38

Longitudinal study of 94 couples from Duke uni, each answering 2 questionnaires to assess degree of shared values and needs to assess closeness

Question 39

Kerchoff and Davis (1962) findings

Answer 39

Divided into short term (-18months), found similarity in values important and long term (+18months), found complementary needs as important

Question 40

What are the strengths of filter theory?

Answer 40

Research support:
+ Kerchoff and Davis
+ Taylor (2010)
+ Hoyle (1993), Tidwell

Question 41

Taylor (2010)

Answer 41

Found 85% of americans who got married in 2008 had married someone from their own ethnic group supporting social demographic idea

Question 42

Hoyle (1993)

Answer 42

Supports filter theory when looking at importance of attitude similarity and common values as perceived similarity predicted attraction more than actual attitudes

Question 43

Tidwell on Hoyle (1993)

Answer 43

Tested the hypothesis during speed dating event

Question 44

What are the weaknesses of filter theory?

Answer 44

• Levinger (1970)
• criticised, Anderson (2003)
• Online dating doesn’t support it

Question 45

Levinger (1970)

Answer 45

Found that many studies fail to replicate findings from Kerckhoff and Davis based on filter theory after conducting research on 330 couples

Question 46

Why has filter theory been criticised?

Answer 46

because it suggests that people are attracted to each other because they have similar demography and social characteristics

Question 47

Anderson (2003)

Answer 47

contradicted filter theory and found from longitudinal study that partners became more similar and experienced emotional convergence

Question 48

How has online dating shown a lack of support for filter theory?

Answer 48

Internet has meant that there is a reduction in social demographic variables and it’s easier to meet others so it lacks temporal validity.