Relationships Retrieval Questions 3 Flashcards
How will the partner feel if they get more out of the relationship than they put in?
Over-benefited
What is the Equity theory in the context of romantic relationships?
-people in romantic relationships are motivated by the need for fairness
-individuals seek balance between costs and rewards
-when both partners perceive the relationship as equitable, the relationship is more likely to be satisfying and stable
What gender differences did Van Yperen find when investigating the equity theory?
-women are more concerned by being over-benefited than men
-2x as many women felt under-benefited than men
Why did the research by Buunk & Van Yperen (1991) not fully support the equity theory?
-says that the under and over benefited should be EQUALLY dissatisfied
-BUT being under-benefited led to the greatest dissatisfaction and being over-benefited comes in the middle
According to the investment model, what are the 3 factors that influence commitment?
satisfaction
alternatives
investments
What is social exchange theory in the context of romantic relationships?
-individuals in romantic relationships seek to maximise rewards and minimise costs
-people make decisions about staying or leaving based on cost-benefit analysis
-the benefits must outweigh the rewards
Why are social exchange theory and equity theory seen as economic theories of relationships?
you weigh up your costs and rewards/profits like you would do in a business
What did Dainton find when investigating the equity theory?
-those in relationships of perceived inequality had low relationship satisfaction, BUT were motivated to return to an equitable state to maintain the relationship
-suggests that equity is a main factor in relationship satisfaction & maintenance
Who discussed the stages/phases of relationship breakdown?
Duck
What did Sprecher find when investigating the social exchange theory?
-comparison levels for alternatives were a strong predictor of commitment in a relationship
-and rewards were important as a predictor of satisfaction, especially for women
How will the partner feel if they put more into the relationship than they get out?
Under-benefited
According to the equity theory, who should be least satisfied?
Those who are both under and over benefited
Why could it be argued that the theories of romantic relationships do not apply to those in all cultures?
-Collectivist cultures arranged marriages are common
-so often not the ability to leave if you are dissatisfied
-commitment is determined by obligation to your family and not satisfaction with your own relationship
Why does the social exchange theory not explain all relationships?
does not explain long-term relationships as it only applies to short-term relationships where costs are still counted
Name the 3 theories of romantic relationships
social exchange theory
equity theory
investment model
According to the investment model, what is the most important factor in maintaining a relationship?
Commitment
According to the investment model, which factors strengthen commitment?
satisfaction & investments
Who proposed the investment model?
Rusbult
According to the investment model, which factors weaken commitment?
alternatives
What are the 2 types of investments according to the investment model?
-intrinsic (what you put in)
-extrinsic (what would be lost if the relationship broke down)
Are all relationships governed by equity theory?
NO
-Clarke & Mills found only applies to exchange/short-term relationships
-Aaron found closer the relationship gets the less concerned the couple are by equity
When evaluating investment, what does Goodfriend and Agnew suggest about investment?
-should include pans that have already been made (e.g. wedding, kids etc)
-some relationships keep going not because of the current investment but the plan that are being made
-the current investment model does not include this so it incomplete
What does the concept of equity mean in equity theory?
-both partners should perceive the relationship as fair
-if one partner feels they are contributing more without receiving sufficient rewards, the relationship may become unbalanced, leading to dissatisfaction
How can the investment model explain why women stay in abusive relationships and what can we do to help these women?
-they stay because they have investments into the relationship and do not have any alternatives
so we can provide help with alternative housing and benefits to help them leave
Why is there wide application of the investment model?
-shown true across a range of relationships
-research supported importance of investment across different cultures, in gay and heterosexual relationships and across married and non-married
What is the real life application of the social exchange theory?
-integrated behavioural couples therapy
-partners trained to increase proportion of positive exchanges in everyday interactions and decrease negative ones
-2/3 couples reported significant improvement in relationship
What is the concept of ‘comparison level’ in the social exchange theory?
-the standard of what people expect from a relationship based on their past experiences and societal norms
-represents threshold above which people are satisfied
-if rewards exceed the comparison level, individuals likely to feel satisfied and stay in relationship
- if rewards fall below level, dissatisfaction may occur
How does the concept of ‘comparison levels for alternatives’ affect romantic relationships?
-refers to perceived alternative to current relationship
-if individual perceives better alternatives they are more likely to leave their current partner
-lower the perceived value of alternatives, more likely they are to stay in relationship despite its costs
