Relationships

Question 1

Sexual Selection

Answer 1

Evolutionary explanation of partner preference.

Attributes or behaviours that increase reproductive success are passed on.

Question 2

Human Reproductive Behaviour

Answer 2

Any behaviours which relate to opportunities to reproduce and increase the survival chances of our genes.

Question 3

Self-disclosure

Answer 3

Revealing personal information about yourself to a partner, which can strengthen a romantic bond when used appropriately.

Question 4

Physical Attractiveness

Answer 4

How appealing we find a person’s face - there’s an assumption that we seek to form relationships with the most attractive person available.

Question 5

Anisogamy

Answer 5

The differences between male and female sex cells.

Question 6

Male Gametes

Answer 6

Sperm - extremely small, highly mobile, created continuously in vast numbers from puberty to old age, don’t require much energy to produce.

Question 7

Female Gametes

Answer 7

Eggs/ ova - relatively large, static, produced at intervals for a limited number of fertile years, require huge investment of energy.

Question 8

Inter-sexual selection

Answer 8

Refers to mate choices of males or females (quality over quantity).

Question 9

Sexy Sons Hypothesis: Fisher, 1930

Answer 9

A female mates with a male who has a desirable characteristic, this ‘sexy’ trait is inherited by her son.

Question 10

Intra-sexual selection

Answer 10

Refers to the competition between males to be able to mate with a female (quantity over quality).

Question 11

Social Penetration Theory: Altman and Taylor, 1973

Answer 11

The gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone else.
Involves reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners.

Question 12

Reciprocity: Reis and Shaver, 1988

Answer 12

A balance of self-disclosure between both partners results in a more successful romantic relationship.

Question 13

Matching Hypothesis: Waltster et al, 1966

Answer 13

The belief that we do not select the most attractive person as a prospective partner, but we are attracted to people who approximately ‘match’ us in physical attractiveness.

Question 14

Filter Theory

Answer 14

A series of different factors progressively limits the range of available romantic partners to a much smaller pool of possibilities.

Question 15

Social Demography

Answer 15

First level of filter theory.
Geographical location and social class.
Many relationships are formed between partners who share social demographic characteristics.

Question 16

Similarity in attitudes

Answer 16

Second level of filter theory.

We find partners who share our basic beliefs and values in the earlier stages of a relationship.

Question 17

Complementarity

Answer 17

Third level of filter theory.
Similarity becomes less important as a relationship develops.
It is replaced by a need for your partner to balance your traits with opposite ones of their own.

Question 18

Social Exchange Theory (SET) - Thibault and Kelley

Answer 18

How relationships form and develop.

It assumes that romantic partners act out of self-interest in exchanging rewards and costs.

Question 19

Rewards, costs and profits - SET

Answer 19

A satisfying and committed relationships when rewards exceed costs and potential alternatives are less attractive than the current relationship.
Rewards = companionship, sex, emotional support.

Question 20

Comparison Level - SET (CL)

Answer 20

The amount of reward you believe you deserve to get.

Develops out of our experiences from previous relationships.

Question 21

Comparison Level for Alternatives - SET (CLalt)

Answer 21

Duck (1994) - the CLalt we adopt depends on the state of the current relationship.
Being in a satisfying relationship may mean you might not notice other alternatives exist.

Question 22

Stages of relationship development

Answer 22

Sampling stage, bargaining stage, commitment stage, institutionalisation stage.

Question 23

Equity Theory: Walster et al, 1978

Answer 23

An economic theory of how relationships develop.

Acknowledges impact of rewards and costs on relationship satisfaction, criticises SET for ignoring equity.

Question 24

Equity

Answer 24

Fairness.

Question 25

Commitment

Answer 25

A romantic partner’s intention or desire to continue a relationship, reflecting a belief that the relationship has a viable long-term future.

Question 26

Satisfaction

Answer 26

The extent to which romantic partners feel the rewards of the relationship exceed the costs.

Question 27

Comparison with alternatives

Answer 27

A judgement that partners make concerning whether a relationship with a different partner would bring more rewards and fewer costs.

Question 28

Investment

Answer 28

The resources associated with a romantic relationship which the partners would lose if the relationships were to end.

Question 29

Rusbult’s Investment Model

Answer 29

Satisfaction with comparison alternatives, investment size, satisfaction versus commitment, relationship maintenance mechanisms.

Question 30

Absence of Gating

Answer 30

Face-to-face relationships fail to form sometimes due to obstacles such as facial disfigurements that some people might find off-putting.
These barriers are absent in computer-mediated communication.

Question 31

Parasocial Relationships

Answer 31

Those which are similar to ‘normal’ relationships but lack a key element.
They are one-sided, unreciprocated relationships, (usually with a celebrity).

Question 32

Levels of Parasocial Relationship: McCutcheon et al, 2002

Answer 32

A three-step description of one sided relationships: entertainment-social, intense-personal, borderline pathological.

Question 33

Entertainment-social

Answer 33

Least intense level of celebrity worship.

Celebrities are viewed as sources of entertainment and fuel for social reaction.

Question 34

Intense-personal

Answer 34

Intermediate level of celebrity worship.

Reflects a greater personal involvement in a parasocial relationship

Question 35

Borderline pathological

Answer 35

Strongest level of celebrity worship.
Features uncontrollable fantasies and some extreme behaviours, such as spending a large sum of money on a celebrity-related object.

Question 36

Absorption-addiction model: McCutcheon, 2002

Answer 36

Explains parasocial relationships as total pre-occupation in a celebrity’s life, plus an addictive striving after a stronger involvement.

Question 37

Absorption

Answer 37

Seeking fulfilment in celebrity worship motivates the individual to focus their attention as far as possible on the celebrity, to become pre-occupied in their existence and identify with them.

Question 38

Addiction

Answer 38

Individual needs to sustain their commitment to the relationship by feeling a stronger and closer involvement with the celebrity. This may lead to more extreme behaviours and delusional thinking.

Question 39

Attachment Theory

Answer 39

An explanation of how an enduring emotional bond forms between two people that persists over time. Leads to certain behaviours such as clinginess and proximity-seeking.