Love and Relationships

Question 1

What did Zeki et al., (2012) state about when you fall in love?

Answer 1

= Loads of areas in the brain “light up”, but a large part of the brain gets de-activated.
= People in love have much lower activity in their frontal cortex (area of the brain crucial to reason and judgement).
= Could be termed as the ‘beer goggles theory’

Question 2

What are the 7 phases of a relationship?

P-TRAGIC

Answer 2

1. Inclusion
2. Response
3. Care
4. Trust
5. Affection
6. Playfulness
7. Genitality

Question 3

How does the brain react to love?

Answer 3

= Emotional excitement raises body’s cortisol levels, causing racing heart, butterflies, and sweaty palms.
= Oxytocin deepens feelings of attachment.
= Vasopressin deepens trust, empathy, and sexual monogamy.

Question 4

What did Fisher., (2014) state about the brain in love?

Answer 4

= Similar to the brain on a psychoactive substance.
= “Similar brain areas light up during the rush of euphoria after taking cocaine”.

Question 5

How are love studies measured?

Answer 5

= Self-report snapshots of behaviour.
= Combine perceptions of love experiences with psychometric testing.
= Focus on the beginning or the end of the relationship.
= Through longitudinal studies to fully understand the role of love.

Question 6

(Relationship satisfaction)
What are internal dispositions?

Answer 6

= Forming an attachment/attachment styles.

Question 7

(Relationship satisfaction):
What are interpersonal processes?

Answer 7

= Cost-benefit exchange models, social exchange theory, and equity theory.

Question 8

Securely attached relationships:

Answer 8

= Easy to relate to others.
= Feels secure in relationships, not fearing abandonment.
= Comfortable with depending on partner.

Question 9

Anxious attached relationships:

Answer 9

= Desires closeness, but believes others do not want to be close to them.
= Fear abandonment, doubting partners’ feelings.
= Overly dependent on partners.

Question 10

Avoidant attached relationships:

Answer 10

= Uncomfortable with being with others.
= Belief that love is transitory, and their partner will leave them at some point.
= Worry of becoming dependent on partner, and not wanting to do so.

Question 11

What is the Equity theory according to Adams (1960)?

Answer 11

= Believes the outcomes of being in a relationship should be proportionate of the input (love, emotional support, household, finances).
= Equitable outcomes are not necessarily equal outcomes, as equity is a perception.
= Inequitable relationships lead to feelings of discomfort (partner contributing less feels guilty - partner contributing more feels annoyed).

Question 12

How can the equity theory be criticised?

Answer 12

:( Social exchange and equity models have predicted relationship satisfaction across cultures, which does not explain why people remain in relationships even when they perceive inequality.

Question 13

What is love in relation to love taxonomies? (Steinberg)

Answer 13

= Very difficult to define.
= Steinberg created taxonomies of love, believing love is a triangle, and different components will give different love experiences.
= Various forms of love can be understood by components.

Question 14

What are the 3 components of Sternberg’s triangular theory?

Answer 14

= Passion (physical and emotional arousal)
= Intimacy (closeness)
= Commitment (long-term)
The middle of the triangulation is when all 3 needs are met.

Question 15

What is the fluid nature of love?

Answer 15

= How expectations of love have changed over time.
=They are not seen as stable traits.
= They are context-dependent ideologies.

Question 16

Give an example of how the fluid nature of love has changed?

Answer 16

= Between 1920’s-2000’s, claims that marital dissatisfaction may be a consequence of unrealistic expectations.

Question 17

What did Morgan (2011) argue about the fluid nature of love?

Answer 17

= We seek compatibility, intimacy, and soulmates, not just passionate love.
= As life expectancy increases, so does a need for compassionate love.

Question 18

What are the 3 stages of love making it difficult to define?

Answer 18

1. Initial stages = passionate love
2. Overtime = strong emotions evolve
3. Later stages = more stable and companionate love.

Question 19

What are positive processes in relationship satisfaction?

Answer 19

= Importance of intimacy.
= Therefore, Cate et al., (1988) suggested whether it is more important than equity.

Question 20

What are the 4 stages of the Social Exchange Theory? (Homans., 1958).

Answer 20

1. Sampling (potential costs and rewards of a new relationship).
2. Bargaining (marks the beginning, with rewards and costs being exchanged).
3. Commitment (making a decision, with the rewards outweighing the costs).
4. Institutionalisation (norms are developed, establishing patterns of rewards and costs for each partner)

Question 21

What are the different concepts of intimacy and their role in relationship satisfaction?

Answer 21

= Self-disclosure (more disclosure leads to more trust, compassionate love, and relationship satisfaction) - Cantor et al., (2001).

= Over-lapping selves (the more your self-concept overlaps with your partners, the greater the relationship satisfaction, commitment, and investment) - Smith et al., (1999)

Question 22

What are the different concepts of intimacy and their role in relationship satisfaction?

Answer 22

= Self-disclosure (more disclosure leads to more trust, compassionate love, and relationship satisfaction) - Cantor et al., (2001).

= Over-lapping selves (the more your self-concept overlaps with your partners, the greater the relationship satisfaction, commitment, and investment) - Smith et al., (1999)

Question 23

What did Canary et al., (1995) state about conflict in relationships?

Answer 23

= Some theories have argued conflict and the way people manage it stands as the ultimate test of the character of relationships

Question 24

What is constructive conflict?

Answer 24

= The force of change and growth in a relationship, leading to greater satisfaction and dyadic unity.

Question 25

What did Batch et al., (1968) and Gottman., (1993) state about constructive conflict?

Answer 25

= Arguing can be good for a relationship if done fairly and skillfully, increasing intimacy.
= A fair fight can have positive effects on a relationship.
= Conflict adds balance, contributing to happiness (Gottman., 1993).

Question 26

What is destructive conflict?

Answer 26

= Painful, harmful, and damaging to partners, leading to the termination of relationships.

Question 27

What did Erber et al., (2001) and Coser., (1956) state about destructive relationships?

Answer 27

= Conflict engagement is seen as a sign of weakness or problems in the relationship.
= Early theorists viewed conflict as destructive and as a negative force.