Relationships

• Evolutionary explanations


  Focus on adaptive nature of behaviour

  
• Intrasexual selection


  individuals outcompete to gain access to members of the opposite sex

  
• Intersexual selection


  Members of one sex evolve preferences for desirable qualities in potential mates

  
• Sexual selection


  Explains how evolution is driven by competition for mates and the development of characteristics that ensure reproductive success

  
• Genetic quality


  Determines half of the genetic quality of any offspring

  
• Reproductive value


  Males are most attracted to females who display signs of fertility

  
• Evolutionary explanations-What did Buss say females are attracted to?


  Resources, protection, good parenting and compatibility

  
• Evolutionary explanations- What did Penton-Voak et al find?


  Disadvantage- Women choose a feminine male face for long term, masculine face during high conception risk phase

  
• Matching hypothesis


  People look for partners whose social desirability approximately matches their own

  
• Physical attractiveness- What did Buss find?

  Men place greater importance on physical attractiveness, important cue to fertility

  
• Physical attractiveness- What did Sprecher and Hatfield say?


  Disadvantage- People compensate for a lack of looks with other qualities

  
• Physical attractiveness- What did Walster et al find?

  Make realistic choices, influenced by the chances of having their affection reciprocated

  
• Physical attractiveness- What did Taylor et al find?

  Disadvantage- Found no evidence that daters decisions were driven by match in attractiveness

  
• Self disclosure


  A person reveals information about themselves to another person

  
• Self disclosure- What did Sprecher find?

  Disclosure of personal disappointments, accomplishments and past sexual partners has greater influence

  
• Filter theory


  We choose romantic partners by using a series of filters that narrow down the field of availabilities

  
• Similarity in attitudes


  Individuals psychological characterisitics, agreement on attitudes and values, best predictor of stability

  
• Social demography


  Variables that determine the likelihood of individuals meeting, more to do with social interaction

  
• Complementarity of needs


  People with different needs like each other because they provide each other with mutual satisfaction

  
• Comparison level for alternatives

  Person weighs up potential increase in rewards from different partner minus costs of ending current relationship. If alternative is more appealing there will be temptations

  
• Comparison level


  Judge what another person offers, a standard against which all our relationships are judged. New relationship exceeds CL then it will be seen as worth while

  
• Profit and loss


  Individuals attempt to maximise their rewards and minimise their costs. Rewards-costs=outcome. Commitment to that relationship is dependent on profitability of outcome

  
• Social exchange theory- What did Sprecher show?

  Advantage- Longitudinal study of 101 couples showed presence of alternatives was negatively correlated with commitment and satisfaction

  
• Inequity and dissatisfaction


  People are most comfortable when they perceive that they are getting roughly what they deserve

  
• What should an equitable relationship be?

  One where one partners benefits minus their costs equals their partners benefits minus their costs

  
• Relationships that lack equity

  Associated with distinct types of dissatisfaction, the greater the inequity the greater the dissatisfaction and stress

  
• Equity theory- What did Huseman et al develop?

  Disadvantage- Equity sensitivity, benevolent are givers and more tolerant. Equity sensitives experience tension and entitled think they are owed

  
• Equity theory- What did Clark say?

  Disadvantage- Most relationships don't think in terms of costs and rewards, if they do then their marriage is in trouble

  
• Equity theory- What did Aumer Ryan et al find?

  Disadvantage- All cultures said relationships and marriages should be equitable. US was most equitable, Jamaica was least

  
• Satisfaction


  Positive vs negative emotions experienced, influenced by how much the other person fulfils their partners needs

  
• Quality of alternatives


  Extent to which an individuals needs might be better fulfilled outside the relationship, if no alternatives they may persist

  
• Commitment level


  Likelihood that an involvement will persist, high if they are happy and anticipate very little gain and high levels of loss if they left

  
• Investment size


  Stability, measure of all resources which would diminish value or lost completely if relationship ended. Investments create powerful psychological inducement to persist
• 1. Intrapsychic phase


  Consideration of ending it, feelings of resentment and sense of being under benefitted, may not say anything but express it

  
• 2. Dyadic phase


  Confrontation and begin to discuss feelings, feelings of guilt and anger. May discover partner has same concerns, may both become aware of things that bind them

  
• 3. Social phase


  May have kept dissatisfaction private, spills over to a network of friends and family. Makes it harder to deny that there is a problem and harder to bring about reconcilation

  
• 4. Grave-dressing phase


  Once left the relationship, partners attempt to justify their actions, each partner must present themselves as trustworthy and loyal to attract a new partner

  
• Absence of gating


  Allows an online relationship to get off the ground, it works by refocusing attention on self disclosure and away from superficial features

  
• Hyperpersonal model


  Walther argues that internet relationships are more personal and involve greater disclosure. Develop quicker, self disclosure happens early on and is intense and intimate

  
• Reduced cues theory


  Internet relationships lack cues, virtual are more likely to be blunt and aggressive