Relationships (PAPER 3) Flashcards
(AO1) What is self-disclosure?
Revealing personal information to a partner — builds trust and intimacy.
(AO3) What’s a real-world application of self-disclosure research?
Relationship counselling → encourages partners to open up gradually.
(AO3) What study supports self-disclosure increasing intimacy?
Sprecher & Hendrick: Strong correlation between SD and relationship satisfaction.
(AO1) What is the “halo effect”?
Physically attractive people are assumed to have other positive traits.
(AO1) What is the “matching hypothesis”?
We are attracted to people of similar physical attractiveness to avoid rejection.
(AO3) What study supports the matching hypothesis?
Walster et al. → people preferred similarly attractive partners.
(AO1) What is Filter Theory?
People use filters to narrow down potential romantic partners.
(AO1) What are the 3 main filters?
- Social Demography
- Similarity in Attitudes
- Complementarity
(AO3) Weakness of Filter Theory?
Outdated — online dating makes social demography less relevant.
(AO1) What is SET?
Relationships are like a business — we weigh rewards vs. costs.
(AO1) What is the comparison level (CL)? SET
Our expectations based on past relationships/social norms.
(AO3) Weakness of SET?
Overly economic — ignores emotions and selflessness.
(AO1) What is equity theory?
Fairness is key — both partners should experience equal input and output.
(AO3) What happens if there’s inequity? equity theory
Distress → partner may try to restore balance or exit relationship.
(AO1) What are the 3 factors of commitment in Rusbult’s model?
Satisfaction, Alternatives, Investment.
(AO3) What study supports equity theory?
Utne et al.: Couples who saw their relationship as equitable = more satisfied.
(AO3) What is investment?
Resources put into the relationship that would be lost if it ended.
(AO3) How is the investment model better than SET?
Explains why people stay in unhappy relationships (high investment).
(AO1) What are the 4 stages in Duck’s breakdown model?
- Intra-psychic
- Dyadic
- Social
- Grave-dressing
(AO3) What real-world factor does Rusbult’s model help explain?
Domestic abuse → victims may stay due to investment and lack of alternatives.
(AO3) Practical application of Duck’s model?
Couples’ therapy can target specific stages (e.g., improving communication at Dyadic stage).
(AO3) Limitation of the relationship breakdown model?
Based on retrospective accounts — may lack validity.
(AO1) What is the hyperpersonal model? Virtual Relationships
Online relationships become intense quickly due to selective self-presentation.
(AO1) What is reduced cues theory (Sproull & Kiesler)? Virtual Relationships
Online communication lacks non-verbal cues → can lead to de-individuation.
