Relationships for exam

Question 1

What is Duck’s phase model of relationship breakdown?

Answer 1

A model of relationship breakdown that describes the different phases that people go through during the dissolution of a romantic relationship.

Question 2

Who proposed the 5 then 6 stages for relationship breakdown?

Answer 2

Duck (1982)

Question 3

List the 5 now 6 phases of the relationship breakdown.

Answer 3

• Breakdown
• Intrapsychic phase
• Dyadic processes
• Social phase
• Grave-Dressing phase.

((Resurrection processes))

Question 4

What is the breakdown phase in relationship breakdown. Which level stage is it?

Answer 4

1st

Dissatisfaction with relationship. ‘Can no longer stand this relationship’

Question 5

What is the intrapsychic phase in relationship breakdown. Which level stage is it?

Answer 5

2nd
Individual thinks deeply over their current relationship and considers whether they might be better out of it.
Social withdrawal, shutting off from partner.

Question 6

What is the dyadic phase in relationship breakdown. Which level stage is it?

Answer 6

3rd
Individual confronts partner, discusses their feelings and their relationship discontentment AND the future of the relationship

Question 7

What is the social phase in relationship breakdown. Which level stage is it?

Answer 7

4th
Going public, seeking support.
Discontentment spills over to family and friends.

Question 8

What is the grave-dressing phase in relationship breakdown. Which level stage is it?

Answer 8

5th

Partners tidy the memories of the relationship. Reinforce it is not their fault - for themselves.

Question 9

Duck 1982 added a 6th stage in 2006 in relationship breakdown. What is this called?

Answer 9

Resurrection processes.

Question 10

What is the resurrection processes in relationship breakdown? (2)

Answer 10

Added in 2006. Defining what to get out of future relationships. Preparation for future relationships.

Question 11

Why did Duck add a 6th stage to the phase model of relationship breakdown? Eval point. In 2004

Answer 11

Acknowledged his 1982 model failed to reflect the possibility of personal growth. In 2004 added

Question 12

Tashiro + Fraiser support relationship breakdown for the grave-dressing phase. Eval point.

Answer 12

Studied UGs who had recently broken up with romantic partner. Reported breaking up gave them new insights/ideas about future partners. Through final processes were able to put relationship to rest and move on.

Question 13

What is the real world application in relationship breakdown - intervention implications. Eval point.

Answer 13

Model processes relationship breakdown. This is because the model is so detailed, therapists are able to identify where you are and you are more likely to get help due to these stages.

Question 14

What is the heterosexual/culture bias about in relationship breakdown? also what is it?
Eval point

Answer 14

It is a reductionist viewpoint. This is because the model is developed from white, middle class, heterosexual participants. Therefore, may not represent experiences of other groups.

Question 15

What are the ethical issues in relationship breakdown. Eval point.

Answer 15

• Breakdown may be distressing and may cause PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM.
• CONFIDENTIALITY, woman being in abusive relationship, scared it might get out that she has had therapy.

Question 16

What is Kerckoff and Davis’s ‘filter theory’ of attraction?

Answer 16

Suggest we choose romantic partners by using a series of filters that narrow down the field available from which we might make our choice.

Question 17

What are the 3 filters Kerckoff and Davis put forward in the filter theory?

Answer 17

• Social demography
• Similarity in attitudes
• Complementarity of needs

Question 18

What is social demography?

Answer 18

Variables such as age, social background and geographical location determine likelihood of individuals meeting in the first place.

Question 19

What is similarity in attitudes?

Answer 19

Individuals’ psychological characteristics are similar, specifically agreement on attitudes and basic beliefs.

Question 20

What is complementarity of needs?

Answer 20

People who have different needs like each other as they provide mutual satisfactions of these opposed needs.

Question 21

What was Kerckhoff and Davis’s (1962) key study procedure.

Answer 21

94 Couples at Duke University in the US completed questionnaires of shared attitudes and values and degree of need complementarity. 7 months later completed a further questionnaire assessing how close they felt compared to the start of the study.

Question 22

What was Kerckhoff and Davis’s (1962) key study findings.

Answer 22

Dating for less than 18 months - similarity in attitudes the most significant predictor of closeness. More than 18 months, only complementarity of needs predictive of closeness.

Question 23

Give 2 strengths of K+D’s methodology in attraction: filter theory.

Answer 23

• Longitudinal study - over a period of time which allows the researcher to see the patterns of a variable over a period of time
• Large sample size, is a strength because it provides more accurate mean values, less likely the data will be skewed.

Question 24

Give 2 limitation of K+D’s methodology in attraction: filter theory.

Answer 24

• Historical validity
• Uni students, looking for short term mating preferences.
• Subjective, given questionnaire, problems with social desirability.
• Culture bias.

Question 25

Levinger et al (1970) failed to replicate K+D’s results. Eval point.

Answer 25

Used over 300 couples who were steadily attached and went through the same procedure, however, Levinger found no significant results.

Question 26

Duck (1973) suggests the real value of the filter attraction theory. Eval point.

Answer 26

Allows people to make predictions about future interactions, so they can avoid relationships that will not work. Helps prevent people making the wrong decisions somewhat.

Question 27

Historical validity being a problem for attraction, filter theory. Eval point.

Answer 27

• Problems with generalising this study is that attitudes and values constantly change over time.
• There are many instances also where people are not aware of partners needs or values.
• Thornton and DeMarco (2001) evidence to suggest a changed attitude towards relationships in young American adults over a few decades. This included mothers working outside of the house and the weakening of the normative imperative to marry / stay married / to have children.

Question 28

What did Jourard (1971) propose, to do with self-disclosure in virtual relationships.

Answer 28

Concept of ‘broadcasting s-d’ to explain the difference between disclosure to a romantic partner and sharing of personal info in public situation.

Question 29

Give 2 reasons why self-disclosure in virtual relationships happens.

Answer 29

• Involves person presenting edited version of themselves - better version.
• Less fear of disapproval due to relative anonymity.

Question 30

What is the absence of gating in virtual relationships.

Give 3 potential gates in face-to-face relationships

Answer 30

Communicating through the internet removes a number of factors that usually act as a barrier to stopping interactions face-to-face. Factors such as:

• level of physical attractiveness
• speech defects
• being from different social/ethnic backgrounds
• age group

Question 31

What did Zhao et al (2008) find into virtual relationships.

Answer 31

Zhao et al (2008) found that online social networks enable individuals to present the identities they hope to establish but are unable to in face-to-face interactions. Which often means they can present someone who is more socially desirable than their actual self.

Question 32

What did Rubin (1975) find into why people self-disclose more on the internet.

Answer 32

Rubin (’75) found a similar phenomenon when studying personal disclosure of information in normal relationships with people being far more likely to disclose highly personal information to strangers as they knew
(a) they would probably never see the person again,
and
(b) the stranger could not report disclosures to the individual’s social group.

Question 33

What is a gate in a virtual relationship?

Answer 33

A gate is any feature/obstacle that could interfere with the development of a relationship.

Question 34

Give a brief outline of the absence of gating in virtual relationships.

Answer 34

In virtual relationships, the absence of face-to-face interactions allows you to create a better self image and hide real self somewhat.
In online social networks, the barriers to interactions allow you to stretch the truth and avoid gating obstacles.

Question 35

What did Putnam (2000) argue about virtual relationships?
Rosenfeld + Thomas (2012) found evidence showing virtual relationships can be as strong as offline relationships.
Eval point.

Answer 35

Putnam (2000) believes internet communication can only lead to superficial relationshpis - believes they are of lower quality. Rosenfeld + Thomas (2012) disagree as they found no evidence to support this claim - no difference between quality in online or offline relationships.

Question 36

What did Rosenfeld + Thomas (2012) find into virtual relationships. SUPPORT. Eval point.

Answer 36

Demonstrated importance of internet and social media helping individuals form relationships. 4000 US adults, found individuals with internet access at home were more likely to partnered 71.8%.

Therefore, internet may be displacing rather than simply complementing the traditional ways of meeting a romantic partner.

Question 37

Baker and Oswald (2010) argue shy individuals value in virtual relationships. Eval point.

Answer 37

Baker and Oswald. Surveyed 207 male and female students on their shyness, Facebook usage and quality of friendships. High shyness, greater use of Facebook = high quality relationships.
Suggests sites like Facebook help people overcome barriers they face when trying to form relationships.

Question 38

Virtual relationships have consequences for offline relationship - Zhao et al.(2008). Eval point

Answer 38

Zhao claims we should not see offline and online relationships as completely separate because online relationships do have consequences for people’s offline lives. Individual’s ‘digital selves’ Can help increase individual’s overall self image and increase their chances of connecting with people offline.

Question 39

What is the role of social demography in the attraction filter theory. 1 mark

Answer 39

Demography e.g. age, social background and geographical location.
• This DETERMINES LIKELIHOOD OF INDIVIDUALS MEETING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Question 40

What is the role of similarity in attitudes in the attraction filter theory. 1 mark

Answer 40

Similarity in attitudes INVOLVES INDIVIDUALS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
• e.g. a couple’s agreement on attitudes and basic values.

Question 41

What is the role of complementarity of needs in the attraction filter theory. 1 mark

Answer 41

Complementarity of needs: PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS LIKE EACH OTHER
• This is because they provide each other with mutual satisfaction of those opposed needs

Question 42

What is the significant weakness of virtual relationships?

Answer 42

Many people in collectivist cultures such as Africa are without internet access. Therefore virtual relationships are not a world-wide phenomenon.