Relationships Evaluations

Question 1

Cartwright 2000

(Support for evolutionary explanations for partner preferences)

Answer 1

both men and women prefer symmetrical faces
* symmetry equates with reproductive fitness
* Cartwright also found that women with symmetrical breasts are more fertile
* AND women with symmetrical male partners have the most orgasms
* supports the concept that physical attractiveness is driven by increased ability to reproduce

Question 2

Clark and Hatfield 1989

(Support for evolutionary explanations for partner preferences)

Answer 2

• attractive male and female psychology students (confederates) approached opposite sex strangers on a university campus and asked one of three questions:
  
  • would you go out with me tonight?
  • would you come over to my apartment tonight?
  • would you go to bed with me tonight?
    Question: Female positive response / Male positive response
    1: 50% / 50%
    2: 6% / 69%
    3: 0% / 75%

Supports the idea of intra and inter sexual selection. (men attempt to sleep with as many women as possible whilst women are more selective)

Question 3

Singh 1993

(Support for evolutionary explanations for partner preferences)

Answer 3

‘curves in the right places’
* Singh identified waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) as a universally major determinant of attractiveness
* small waist and full hips consistent feature
* optimum WHR = 0.7 (associated with fertility)

Question 4

Overview for Support for evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

Answer 4

Clarke and Heartfield (1989)
(women selective, men sleep with as many people as possible)

Singh (1993)
(cross cultural preference of 0.7 WHR)

Cartwright (2000)
(physical attractiveness is driven by increased ability to reproduce)

Question 5

Negative evaluations of evolutionary explanation

Answer 5

It cannot explain homosexual partner preferences or couples choosing not to have children as it assumes all relationships are motivated by a desire to reproduce

Alpha bias where sex differences may have been exaggerated

Question 6

Positive evaluation of self disclosure

Answer 6

Sprecher and Hendrick (2004)
observed couples self disclosure on dates. Men and women were found to have similar levels of self-disclosure

A positive correlation was found between the amount of self disclosure and quality of satisfaction

Laurenceau (2005) - Self-disclosure leads to more satisfying relationships

Question 7

Negative evaluation of self disclosure

Answer 7

Correlational research does not establish a cause. Therefore, it is not a valid conclusion to draw that greater self-disclosure creates more satisfaction

Women are thought to be better communicators and more willing to share info so could be alpha bias where differences are exaggerated

Question 8

Positive Evaluations of Physical Attraction and Matching Hypothesis

Answer 8

Murtstein (1972) found that real-life couples were more likely to be of similar attractiveness, supporting the idea that people match based on appearance

Feingold (1988): meta analysis of 17 studies and found a significant correlation in ratings of attractiveness between romantic partners

Question 9

Negative evaluation of physical attraction and matching hypothesis

Answer 9

Taylor (2011) found that on online dating sites, people sought partners who were more physically attractive than them

Not all people place importance on physical attractiveness

Question 10

Positive Evaluations of Filter theory

Answer 10

Kirchhoff & Davies (1962) found similarity of attitudes was the most important factor for short term relationships (<18 months) and complementarity was the most important factor in long term relationships (>18 months)

Byrne (1997) ‘law of attraction’ found consistent findings to suggest similarity of attitudes encourages a relationship to flourish

Question 11

Negative Evaluations of Filter Theory

Answer 11

Lack of temporal validity

• rise of online dating has reduced the importance of social demographic variables
• mobile apps like Tinder have made meeting partners easier than ever
• may pursue a relationship with someone outside the usual demographic limits

Anderson et al (2003) found that similarity increases over time, suggesting that complementing each other is not necessarily a feature of longer-term relationships

Question 12

Positive evaluation of SET

Answer 12

Comparison level for alternative helps to explain why someone would terminate a relationship (alternative partner offers more)

If there is no comparison level for alternative it can explain why people don’t leave abusive relationships

Question 13

Negative evaluation of SET

Answer 13

• Central concern of SET is comparison level so it ignores fairness or equity
• Fairness is more important than rewards and costs in relationships

Concepts are also difficult to quantify where they’re defined superifcially

Question 14

Positive Evaluations of Investment Theory

Answer 14

Rusbults (1983) found through a questionnaire that as a relationship developed investment size increased resulting in greater commitment and reduced the quality of alternatives

Question 15

Negative Evaluations of Investment

Answer 15

Goofriend and Agnew (2008) limited explanation because it fails to recognise the true complexity of investment where its oversimplified

Question 16

Positive Evaluations of Equity theory

Answer 16

Utne (1984) self report survey on married couples, measuring perceived equity. Found partners in equal relationships had higher commitment. No sex differences in desire for equality

Question 17

Negative Evaluation of Equity theory

Answer 17

• Huseman et al. (1987) suggested that some people are less sensitive
  to equity than others.

Question 18

Evaluations of Duck

Answer 18

Tashiro and Frazer found through a self report survey that 96 break ups broke down in the stages expected by the theory - especially grave dressing

However low population validity of this study

Duck suggests men and women process break ups the same minimising differences (beta bias)

Question 19

Positive Evaluations of Virtual Relationships

Answer 19

McKenna and Bargh (2000)

argued that a huge advantage of CMC is the absence of gating

• this means that a relationship can develop to the point where self-disclosure becomes more frequent and deeper

70% of online relationships survived compared to the 50% of relationships starting in the real world

Virtual relationships reduce loneliness where the absence of gating mechanism can help people to form relationships

Question 20

Negative Evaluations of Virtual Relationships

Answer 20

Lack of temporal validity where these theories were constructed when online interaction were text based

Skype and Snapchat mean gating mechanisms are back

VR can lead to lack of social skills making real-life relationships much more difficult to form

Question 21

Evaluations of attachment theory explanation

Answer 21

Significant evidence that early attachment goes on to influence adult relationships, the theory that this would include parasocial relationships has face validity

McCutcheon (2006) found through 299 college students that participants with insecure types were not more likely than secure types to be attracted by celebrities as predicted by attachment theory

Question 22

Evaluations of Absorption Addiction Model

Answer 22

McCutcheon (2016) - 330 students completes CAS. Found higher levels of anxiety when students scored on the two higher subscales as well as problems forming real life relationships

Self Report methods can lead to bias where people give socially desirable answers