Social Roles II

Question 1

Women are waiting later to …

Answer 1

have their 1st child across multiple countries

Question 2

When did Olson say the first dip of marital happiness would be (decrease in communication and satisfaction)?

Answer 2

When the couple has their first child

Question 3

After the first child there is an uptick, but what brings about the lowest reported marital happiness?

Answer 3

Having teenagers

Question 4

Following the dip from teens what happens to marital satisfaction?

Answer 4

Communication and satisfaction turn up and continue to increase as the kids are in the process of leaving and the couple has an empty nest

Question 5

Explain time spent working before kids (2)

Answer 5

• Husband and wives both work on their careers equally

- Wives did more of the housework

Question 6

Explain time spent working after having kids? (3)

Answer 6

• Husbands are spending more time on their career
• Women are doing more housework than men
• Women are doing more childcare

Question 7

What are the 3 main transitions during middle adulthood?

Answer 7

1. Becoming empty nesters
2. Becoming grandparents
3. Caring of an aging parent

Question 8

What is typical when caring for an aging parent?

Answer 8

usually daughters or daughters in law are the caregiver - this can lead to caregiver burden

Question 9

what is the generational squeeze?

Answer 9

pressure from older & younger generations

Question 10

What is the role strain theory?

Answer 10

social role obligations outnumber/outweigh what one can give

Question 11

What two things occur in terms of social roles in late adulthood?

Answer 11

1. Simplified forms of former roles

2. Addition of unpleasant roles

Question 12

What are 3 examples of simplified form of former roles?

Answer 12

o	Living arrangements 
o	Work (semi-retirement increasing)
o	Parenthood

Question 13

What are 2 examples of additional unpleasant roles

Answer 13

o Widowhood

o Care giver or receiver

Question 14

what are 4 additional atypical social roles?

Answer 14

1. lifelong singles
2. childlessness
3. divorce
4. remarriage (step-parent)

Question 15

people are staying single

Answer 15

later into life

Question 16

fewer people are legally

Answer 16

married

Question 17

many more people are getting

Answer 17

divorced

Question 18

more females are

Answer 18

widowed than men

Question 19

Wives tend to be less satisfied then men during marriage until

Answer 19

empty nesting when it peaks

Question 20

When is the largest % of major conflicts occurring?

Answer 20

while raising kids

Question 21

What is the trend for positive sexual relations?

Answer 21

Peaks before children and decreases throughout their life

Question 22

When does psychological intimacy hit peak

Answer 22

when the couple is in empty nest

Question 23

Psychological intimacy is equal when? when is it not?

Answer 23

it is equal before kids and empty nest. raising kids is when men are higher then women

Question 24

What is the difference between good and bad marriages? what is the proportion?

Answer 24

Proportion of “nice” to “nasty” everyday encounters (5:1)

Question 25

What are Gottman’s “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”?

Answer 25

o Criticism
o Contempt
o Defensiveness
o Stonewalling (withdrawal)

Question 26

Gottman said “one can think of each partner as having a built-in meter that measures …

Answer 26

the totality of accumulated negatively”

Question 27

What are the 3 types of enduring marriages?

Answer 27

1. Validating marriages
2. Volatile marriages
3. Avoidant marriages

Question 28

What characterizes a validating marriage? (6)

Answer 28

 Somewhat expressive, but mostly neutral
 Put emphasis on supporting and understanding
 Empathetic of partner’s feelings
 Confront their differences, but only some topics
 During conflict, only mildly emotionally expressive
 Ratio of positive-to-negative affect 5:1

Question 29

What characterizes a volatile marriage? (6)

Answer 29

 Intensely emotional (high highs, low lows)
 During conflict, they try to persuade
 Love to debate, argue, but never disrespectful, insulting
 Argument is characterized by laughter, amusement, humour
 A lot of negative emotions expressed (e.g., anger & insecurity), but never contempt
 Ratio of positive-to-negative affect 5:1

Question 30

What characterizes avoidant marriages?

Answer 30

 Do not attempt persuasion, but rather focus on common ground
 Avoid conflict, expressing needs
 Clear boundaries regarding independence/interdependence
 Ratio of positive-to-negative affect 5:1

Question 31

What are the two types of unsuccessful marriage types?

Answer 31

Hostile and Emotionally Unexpressive Marriages

Question 32

What characterizes a hostile marriage? (5)

Answer 32

 High levels of defensiveness
 Lots of criticism (ex: you always, you never)
 During argument, each reiterates their perspective without support or understanding for the other
 Lots of contempt
 All Four Horsemen are present

Question 33

What characterizes a emotionally unexpressive marriage? (3)

Answer 33

 Like a lonely standoff
 Conflicts do arise, but one will quickly backdown
 During conflict, they snipe at each other while maintaining an air or emotional detachment

Question 34

Marriage quality is important to…

Answer 34

mental and physical health

Question 35

Studies of successful marriage show that… (2)

Answer 35

o Communication and psychological closeness are more important than sex, especially as we age
o Some successful marriages sound pretty unpleasant to people whose personalities don’t match the definitions