W7.a Flashcards
The purpose of seeking connectedness
Need to belong: Fundamental human need to form and maintain strong, stable interpersonal relationships
What is relationship? Interpersonal relationship?
An association between two or more people
Interpersonal relationship: between two people
One way to classify different types of relationships
Patterns of exchange
Exchange rules: patterns according to which relationship partners exchange rewards and punishments
What is “Relational Models Theory”?
Alan Fiske (1992) Different relationships are governed by different rules of interaction/'exchange'
Four 'relational models': Communal Sharing (CS) Authority Ranking (AR) Equality Matching (EM) Market Pricing (MP)
Communal Sharing:
Dominant exchange rules;
Related concepts;
Example/domain
Each according to need;
Care;
Family
Authority Ranking:
Dominant exchange rules;
Related concepts;
Example/domain
Superior decide for subordinates;
Respect;
Military
Equality Matching:
Dominant exchange rules;
Related concepts;
Example/domain
Equal proportions/direct reciprocity;
Equality;
Peer groups
Market pricing:
Dominant exchange rules;
Related concepts;
Example/domain
Benefits proportional to cost;
Equity;
Business
What is “attraction”?
Desire for a voluntary relationship
What is “liking”?
Positive evaluation of an object (another person)
Factors that influence attraction and liking
Physical attractiveness
Similarity
Positive interaction: Proximity, familiarity and mimicry
The effects of physical attractiveness
Stereotype that physically attractive people are warm, friendly, … ‘Beautiful is good’
Can contributes to self-fulfilling prophecy, which can reinforce the stereotype. Woman and man talk on the phone
Why similarity increases liking and attraction?
Similarity encourages positive interaction over common interests, etc.
Similar others validate our beliefs and attitudes (positive reinforcement)
We assume similar others like us: inferred reciprocal attraction
Reciprocity: we like people who like us.
Why proximity increases liking and attraction?
Proximity increases frequency of (positive) interaction
Proximity increases familiarity
Similar people may live/work near each other
NB. The internet may be leading to an emphasis on “psychological” over “geographical” proximity
Why familiarity increases liking and attraction?
Mere exposure increases attraction
Why mimicry increases liking and attraction?
Face to face interaction opens up possibility of non-verbal processes to impact liking
Non conscious mimicry (Chartrand & Bargh, 1999)
- Participants interacted with face-rubbing or foot-shaking confederates
- Participants non-consciously mimicked confederates’ actions
In building close relationships, what is “self-disclosure”?
Self-disclosure: process of revealing information about the self
As a relationship develops self-disclosure increases in:
- Breadth: more topics
- Depth: level of intimacy
What are the consequences of self-disclosure?
Self-disclosure can deepen and strengthen relationships because:
- Self-disclosure increases liking. E.g., mutual self-disclosure can increase perceived similarity
- Signals trust in relationship partner. E.g., via vulnerability
- Better enables behavioural coordination. (Relationship partners know about each others’ preferences and abilities)
Who tend to disclose?
Women
People from individualistic cultures than collectivist cultures. (Partly because of relational mobility)
Interdependence and close relationships
Interdependence: each partners’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours influence the other.
Close relationship involves strong and frequent interdependence:
Affective; Behavioral; Cognitive
Cognitive interdependence
Self-other representations overlap
- Intertwining of concepts of self and partner
- Inclusion of other in Self (IOS)
Describe themselves and partners
Rate closeness with IOS
RT task: classify traits as partner-descriptive (yes/no)
Correlated with reported closeness
Behavioural interdependence
Each person has influence on other partner’s decisions, activities and plans
Moving to a communal sharing orientation, in which the mode of interaction is ‘each according to need’:
Giving becomes less contingent on possibility of reciprocation.
Aron et al (1991):
divide sum of money; knowledge of role in allocation (when give money to close friend, not expect reciprocation)
Affetive interdependence
Intimacy: positive emotional bond that includes understanding and support
With increasing closeness, relationships move beyond mere reciprocal disclosure to deeper relations of:
- Acknowledgment
- Acceptance/understanding
- Emotional responsiveness
- Increasing sensitivity and care
Primary base of the important social support functions played by relationships
