relationships

• self-disclosure


  gradually revealing personal information about ourselves to others and reciprocal exchange of information between romantic partners
• ALTMAN AND TAYLOR (1973)


  found disclosing information in the early stages of relationship was inappropriate and did not enhance attraction. The disclosing person was less likable.
• KLEINKE (1979)


  individuals who were selective with self-disclosure were seen as more attractive and recipients felt chosen
• one limitation of self-disclosure is


  Tang et al 2013, researcher found that men and women in USA, individualistic culture, disclose more sexual thoughts than men and women in China, collectivist culture. This suggests culture bias. +modern study
• one strength of self-disclosure is


  Hass and Stafford 98, found that 57% of gay men and women identified honest self-disclosure as the main way of maintaining and deepening the relationship. Therefore, this suggests that if less skilled in self-disclosure partners would learn how to disclose, this would have several benefits to their relationship. Thus, self-disclosure has a real life application. + diverse sample
• sexual selection


  it's a theory explaining how evolution is driven by mate competition and development of characteristics that ensure reproductive behaviour
• member of one sex chooses member of another, which means


  that there are certain characteristics that are appealing to the other sex
• intra-sexual selection (mate competition)

  this occurs when members of one sex compete for access to another sex, usually males, as they are larger
• inter-sexual selection


  this is the idea that one sex is choosy. Both sexes have to develop the characteristics attractive to the other sex. This suggests that the preferences of one sex are the area to compete for other
• partner preferences, males


  males prefer females that show signs of fertility as wide hips, large breasts, narrow waists, small nose, full lips, big eyes
• partner preferences, females


  females prefer males that show ambition, good financial prosperity, that are tall, strong, have shiny hair and clear skin, intelligent and kind
• anisogamy, males


  having 110 million of sperm per ejaculation, stay fertile thoughout their life, they can fertilise lots of females at a low cost to their reproductive potential, therefore they seek short-term relationships with lots of casual sex
• anisogamy, females


  females have only about 25 years of fertility, their cost is substantial as they carry a baby for 9 months, therefore they seek long term relationships with sex later on in the relationship
• natural selection in terms of human reproductive behaviour, favours males


  by maximising the number of pregnancies, by polygamy, intra-sexual selection, having as much sex as possible and choice of youthful, fertile mates
• natural selection in terms of human reproductive behaviour, favours females


  by maximising the number of pregnancies by monogamy, inter-sexual selection, choosing males that show strength, good financial prospects etc.
• one strength of evolutionary theory is


  Davies (1990) found that men were offering resources and seeking youthfulness and women were offering youthfulness and seeking resources in personalised ads
• one limitation of evolutionary theory is


  ignores alternate explanations. one example is the culture's norms as eg in Western cultures, men having casual sex is seen as masculine and girls stand by the opinion that 'nice girls' don't have casual sex, which would explain human reproductive behaviour.
• filter theory's definition


  is the theory by Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) stating that relationship have to pass through 3 filters in order to be formed with each filter narrowing down the number or possible partners
• filter one of filter theory


  social filter that is based on demographic and social factors; people socialise with people from around them, such as colleagues from school or work; field of availables - ones we can form a relationship with
• filter two of filter theory


  individual filter based on the similarity of attitudes and values; individuals that are different are filtered out; field of desirables - ones we want to be with
• filter three of filter theory

  dyadic filter based on complimentary needs; if needs are met, relationship is maintained, if needs are not met, relationship falls apart
• one strength of filter theory is


  Kerckhoff and Davis (1962) gave out the questionnaires to pairs under and over 18 months long. Ones under said attitudes were more important, ones over said that complimentary of emotional needs is most important + as link the fact it was done in 60s
• one limitation of filter theory is


  research by Festinger (1950), who observed the students on MIT that lived in halls. They became most friendly with people nearest them - limited generalisability + as a link, support for field of availables
• physical attractiveness


  a factor affecting romantic relationships, usually used to refer to how attractive we find person's face
• CUNNINGHAM


  men and women find physical attractiveness to be differently important, males place more importance on physical attractiveness, women on masculine traits
• halo effect in terms of physical attractiveness


  Dion et al found that we find more attractive people more sociable, outgoing, successful and happier. These traits make us believe they are more attractive
• matching hypothesis


  the tendency to develop relationships with people who are on the same level of attractiveness as we are, Walster 1966
• one strength of matching hypothesis is

  Taylor 2011, study had 120 men and women they labelled at initiators and they measured who they contacted and who responded to them. Findings support people on similar level of attractiveness responded and challenge as they contacted whoever
• one limitation of matching hypothesis is


  Walster 66, computer Dance, randomly allocated students were asked to complete a questionnaire on how much they liked the pair they matched with. Findings show students did not take into account their own attractiveness, they were satisfied with more attractive partners +age bias, only students from one school as well
• parasocial relationships


  one-sided relationship between an individual and a celebrity, where celebrity does not know about the relationship
• factors affecting parasocial relationship


  age - 11 to 17 most likely because they look for someone to look up to; gender - men go for sport stars, women for TV celebrities; education - less educated more likely to form psr
• first level of psr, McCutcheon 2002


  entertainment, social level - celebrity as an entertainment and fuel for social interactions
• second level of psr, McCutcheon 2002


  intense personal - one becomes a fan engaging themselves with the celebrity
• third level of psr, McCutcheon 2002


  borderline pathological - overidentifying with the celebrity leading to extreme behaviour and delusions
• absorption, McCutcheon 2002


  occurs when one identifies and preoccupies themselves with a celebrity as a sense of fulfillment
• addiction, McCutcheon 2002


  occurs when one displays unhealthy commitment to the celebrity that causes delusions and extreme behaviour
• type b attachment in relation to psr

  doesn't need the psr, as they form a loving relationship in real life
• type c attachment in relation to psr

  most likely to form psr as they require strong emotional bond and fear rejection, yet in psr there is no rejection
• type a attachment in relation to psr


  least likely as they do not engage in behaviours designed to create intimacy and have difficulties trusting others
• one strength of psr is


  Schmidd and Klimmt 2011, Harry Potter in individualistic and collectivist cultures displayed similar patterns of psr, so universal + modern, as 2011