Romantic Relationships Flashcards

1
Q

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love (1988)

3 components

A
  1. Intimacy - closeness, connection
  2. Commitment
  3. Passion - physical and emotional arousal

The three components combine tgether to form different types of love
- All 3 = consummate love

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What factors influence attractiveness?

A
  1. Proximity
  2. Familiarity
  3. Attitude similarity
  4. Arousal
  5. Environmental factors
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Proximity

Attractiveness

A

Festinger et al., 1950

Student housing - Those that live in a closer proximity develop more interpersonal attraction and relationships
* Increased interactions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Familiarity

Attractiveness

A

Moreland & Beach, 1992

The more familiar we are with someone, the more likely to find them attractive

  • evolutionary? see person as more safe and trustworthy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Attitude similarity

attractiveness

A

Newcomb (1956)
- 17 male participants lived together in a shared dorm
- Initially, proximity predicted attraction
- Over time, students with similar pre-acquaintance attitudes became more interpersonally attracted

Attitude similarity is a bigger factor of attraction

Speed dating: Perceived similarity and attitudes in first instance not actual, predicts attraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Environmental factors

attractiveness

A

The more hot and more crowded, the less attractive you find people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Arousal

attractiveness

A

Fear: Increases physiological arousal (sweaty palms, increased heart rate)

Misattributed arousal to feelings of love

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Gottman’s Love Lab

A

Husband and wife worked together for over 50 years and studied over 40,000 couples

Looked at what makes a relationship work - pioneerd a range of data collection and analysis methods

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Four Horsemen of the apocalypse

A
  1. Criticism
  2. Contempt
  3. Defensiveness
  4. Stonewalling

All lead to relationship breakdown - 90% accuracy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Criticism

4 horsemen

A

Verbally attacking personality or character

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Contempt

4 horsemen

A

Treating the other person with disrespect or ridicule. Thinking of them as lesser

“Your’e digusting”
“What’s wrong with you?”

Biggest predictor of divorce

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Criticism antidote

A

Gentle start up: Talk about feelings using ‘I’ statements and express a positive need

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Contempt antidote

A

Build a culture of apprciation: Remind yourself of your partner’s positive qualities and find gratitude for positive actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Defensiveness

4 horsemen

A

Victimising yourself to revers the blame and ward off a percieved attack

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Defensiveness antidote

A

Take responsibility: Accept your partner’s perspective and offer an apology for any wrongdoing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Stonewalling

4 horemen

A

Withdrawing to avoid conflict and convey disapproval, distance and seperation

17
Q

Stonewalling antidote

A

Physiological self-soothing: Take a break and spend time doing something soothing and distracting

18
Q

Heterosexual vs homosexual relationships

Gottman et al. (2003)

A

40 homo and heterosexual couples (matched)
* Homosexual couples use fewer hostile tactics during conflict

19
Q

Predicting divorce

Gottman & Leveson (2000)

A

14 year longitudinal study with 79 heterosexual couples

  • 1 horsemen present = divorce after an average of 5.6 years
  • Emotional disengagement present = 9.4 years
  • 93% accuracy of divorce predictions
20
Q

Magic ratio

A

During conflict - 5:1 ratio
Outside of conflict - 20:1

20 positive interactions for every negative 1

21
Q

Social exchange theory

A

Cost reward ratio (money, time and love, intimacy)

Both need to be in a state of profit

Comparison to assess profit:
1. Comparison level - how much do we feel we should be rewarded
2. Comparsion level of alternatives - would other relationships be more profitable

22
Q

Relationship Breakdown: 4 factors

Levinger (1980)

A
  1. A new life is the only solution
  2. Alternatives are available
  3. Expectation that the relationship will fail
  4. Lack of commitment
23
Q

Responses to breakdown

A

Constructive or destructive
Active or Passive

Loyalty, Neglect, Voice behaviour, exit behaviour

24
Q

Relationship Enhancement programmes - what do they do?

A

Aim to improve relationships, educate and prevent breakdown

  • Teach specific skills (e.g., conflict management, team working)
  • Reduce number of negative interactions
  • Maintain higher levels of relationship satisfaction
  • Reduced chance of break-up
  • Effects can last up to 5 years
25
Q

COMPASS Model

Rhind & Jowett (2010)

A

Conducted interviews with coaches and athletes - ‘Times felt or not felt close, committed or complememtary and what factors contributed?’
* Two sides - both people engaging
* Compass - guides relationship, not direction

Conflict management, Openness, Motivational, Preventative
Assurance, Support, Social networks

26
Q

Conflict management

A
  • Making the effort to understand what’s going on with someone
  • Resolve and negotiate in a calm manner
27
Q

Openness

A
  • Disclosing private information
  • Feeling assured that you will be listened to
  • Be able to talk about anything
28
Q

Motivational

A
  • Why should the relationship keep going?
  • Whats the end goal?
  • What effort do we put in to keep it successful?
29
Q

Preventative : Compass

A
  • Conflict management
  • Manage expectations → e.g. long-distance relationships
  • Setting boundaries
30
Q

Assurance

A
  • Being committed to the relationship
  • Being there for someone no matter what
31
Q

Support

A

Offering support in multiple forms → emotional, rational

32
Q

Social Networks

A
  • Shared networks → integrating groups of friends
  • Come together as a big group
33
Q

CARM-Q

Coach Athlete Relationship Maintenance Questionnaire

A

146 atheletes and 105 coaches took the CARM-Q
Associations between measure:
- Closeness was associated with openness, support and social networks
- Commitment was associated with motivation and assurance
- Complementarity was associated with conflict management and preventative strategies

34
Q

Haas & Lannutti (2022)

A

Online survey, 1300 participants
Tested on Relational outcomes: commitment, satisfaction, closeness, control mutuality, resilience
and Engagement in relational maintenance behaviours
- Assurances emerged as the primary predictor of all of the relational outcomes
- LGBTQ - higher use of communication relational assurances
- Commitment - positively predicted by shared networks
- Satisfaction - positively predicted by conflict management and shared networks

35
Q

No ‘one size fits all’

A
  • What works for one person might not work for another
  • Different situations causes need for different strategies (e.g. death, pregnancy, illness)
  • Negotiation and compromise
36
Q

Stafford and Canary (1991)

A

920 couples (married, engaged, dating)
- Perceptions of partner’s relationship maintenance behaviours
- Factor analysis: 5 Maintenance behaviours (Openess, Assurances, Positivity, Sharing tasks, Social networks (OPASS))
- Approaches lead to more commitment, liking, relationship satisfcation and control mutuality