What is the most important question for the study of intimate relationships?
Why do relationships sometimes thrive and sometimes falter?
What are the two dominant ideas that have provided guidance to understanding how satisfaction/happiness in a relationship changes?
Emergent Distress Model and Enduring Dynamics Model.
The emergent distress model includes which two theories?
Social exchange theory and social ecological models.
Enduring Dynamics Model
Patterns of interaction are set in early stages of an intimate relationship. Stability once the pattern of interaction is established. Ultimate fate of a relationship is determined during courtship.
What does cross-sectional studies say about marriage quality?
It approximates a U-shaped curve.
What is the problem with cross-sectional studies?
Does not look at how individual relationships change over time.
Cross-Sectional Studies
Capture data at one time point.
What types of study looks at relationships over time?
Longitudinal.
What do longitudinal studies consistently find about happiness in relationships?
Marital quality tends to decline over the course of marriage, with no support for an upturn in marital quality in the later years.
What is the problem with longitudinal studies?
Takes averages, does not capture the whole picture. Average is influenced by extremes.
Newest studies conclude that 2/3 of intimate relationships are ___ and ___ throughout their entire duration.
Happy, stable.
Ups and downs, U-shaped curves, and continuous declines are relatively ___ in relationships according to the newest studies.
Rare.
What types of people are more likely to sustain high-quality marriages?
- Less tendency to become angry.
- Higher self-esteem.
- Low levels of stress.
- Less aggressive.
- High positive affect and low negative affect.
- Have fewer major marital problems, spend more time together, have money.
Emergent distress (pattern of variables over time) or enduring dynamics (variables at the entrance of marriage)?
Enduring dynamics.
The focus for intimate relationship scholars are now shifting to the…
Early, formative years of relationships.
The best way to find lasting intimate relationship bliss…
Is to be very intentional about the early stages of intimate relationships.
Relationships can change, but they tend…
To be stable.
Change in relationships require…
Intentional effort.
What are the 3 key things to do in relationships?
- Be reflective (awareness is powerful.
- Be intentional (actively build a relationship and life you want).
- Be accepting of yourself and your partner as distinct people.
How do we be reflective in relationships?
- Be aware of yourself.
- Be aware of your expectations.
- Be aware of your context.
- Be aware that your reality is not reality.
How do we be intentional in relationships?
- Limit stress.
- Build intimacy through daily exchanges.
- Do something new.
- Capitalize.
- Avoid sliding.
How do we be accepting of self and partner as distinct people in relationships?
Respect yourself not to tolerate some things, but work toward giving the benefit of the doubt and finding happiness even when our partners are less than perfect.
