A2 Psychology Relationships Notes

8/21/2019 A2 Psychology Relationships Notes.

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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.

Interpersonal Attraction

This was the dominant eld of research into relationships ntil the late !"#$%s.

&ontact Theory

Relationships previosly have 'een formed 'etween people who live near each

other.

BOSSARD( )oo*ed at marriages in Philadelphia and fond that more than +$, of

+$$$ coples lived within a ve minte wal* of each other prior to marriage.

FESTINGER( alls of residence stdy. ond that the closer yo lived with

people on camps/ the more li*ely the event of a relationship wold occr.

AO2( It doesn%t consider homose0als and it is time loc*ed.

What makes someone physically attractive?

Architectral actors

- acial featres

- 1ody shape

- i3e

4ynamic actors

- 4ress sense

- peech

- acial e0pression

- &hantelle

5A)T6R proposed the 7AT&I89 :POTT6I.

T6 7AT&I89 :POT6I( The more socially desira'le a person is ;physical

attractiveness/ intelligence/ social standing


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- They 'elieved they were >matched% with their date althogh they were in

fact randomly allocated.

- ?estionnaires distri'ted in interval dring dance and at a si0 month

follow p.

Fin!in"s(

- 1efore the dance/ the more attractive the stdent/ the more attractive

they assmed their date wold 'e.

- Once they met their matches/ regardless of their own attractiveness they

reacted more positively to physically attractive dates and were more li*ely

to arrange follow p dates.

- Intelligence and personality did not ma*e a di@erence.

A#$%A#&

- They sed estionnaires so they are ic* and easy.

- 4oes not ta*e into consideration homose0als.

- The model focses on physical attractiveness 't this can 'e overcome 'y

other attri'tes sch as money.

- Physical attractiveness is more important to men than woman ; TAB6=&Iield of

desira'les% are people we cold possi'ly 'e with and are a smaller grop.

T6R6 AR6 TR66 I)T6R(

- The rst lter is a socialCdemographic varia'les. People from >eld ofdesira'les% that we come into contact with. Personal factors don%t really

ma*e a di@erence.

- The second lter is similarity of attitde or vales. If the cople share

similar 'eliefs or ideals/ there is a higher chance of the relationship

progressing. If it does not scceed/ ltering ot will occr.


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- The third lter is complimentary of emotional needs. This is where yo are

thin*ing a'ot the other person%s needs as opposed to yors.

BOARD%NEED SATSFI+ATION 'ODE

• Byrne an! +lore ,-./#0 - 5e spend a lot of time in relationships 'ecase

we nd them rewarding and we nd life alone npleasant and nrewarding.

• Direct re1ar!s ;Operant &onditioning< can 'e things sch as friendship/

love and se0.

• In!irect re1ar!s ;&lassical conditioning< sch as 'eing associated with

pleasant circmstances.

A REATIONS(I) )RO2IDES NEEDS BEING F3FIED AND

REWARDS*

+lark an! 'ills ,-./.04

- 60change relationships at the start

- DIf yo do this/ I%ll do thatE

Relationship progresses into a commnal relationship which is o@ering

rewards e0pecting nothing in retrn.

)IBI89 TRO=9 AO&IATIO8 F 7A: A84 A7I)TO8 ;!"G$


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• 5omen may 'e socialised into 'eing more attractive to the needs of

others and not to their own needs.

• Participants in relationships are other more concerned with eity and

fairness than to ma0imise their own 'enet.

T(E 'AINTENAN+E OF REATIONS(I)S

Economic Theories

• 9rops of e0planations that loo* at how coples reglate their

relationships.

• hare the view that people *eep an eye of what they are ptting in and

getting ot of a relationship and that they may choose to move on if a'etter deal is o@ered 'y someone else.

• 60plains how coples *eep their relationships going and decide whether to

stay or go.

Social E5chan"e Theory ,(omans -./-0

• 6ach person trying to ma0imise their rewards and minimise their costs.

• 60change part is where individal receive rewards from others and they

feel o'liged to reciprocate sch as things li*e company/ secrity/ se0al

favors. &osts are those e0changes that reslt in a loss or pnishment

sch as physical or psychological a'se and loss of opportnities.

(O'ANS 3SED BOT( O)EREANT +ONDITIONING AND E+ON'OI+

FA+TORS*

omans 'elieves that( )oads of Rewards H PROIT. )oads of )osses H

)O.

+O')ARISON E2ES 6 T(IBA3T AND 7EIE8 ,-.9.0

FO3R STAGES 'ODE OF ONG TER' REATIONS(I)*

!. SA')ING F 60ploring the costs and rewards in a variety of relationships.

2. BARGAINING F &ople >cost ot% the relationship and identies prot and

loss.

. +O''IT'ENT- &oples settles into a relationship and e0change ofrewards 'ecomes predicta'le.


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. INSTIT3TIONAISATION- Interactions are esta'lished and the cople

settle down.

TWO REFEREN+E E2ES

!. The comparison level involves comparing the crrent relationship with a

general e0pectation of how rewarding relationships/ created from previos

e0periences. If the crrent relationship seems more rewarding than those

yo have e0perienced previosly/ yo are more li*ely to stay.

2. The comparison level for alternatives is comparing yor crrent

relationship with other possi'le relationships on o@er.

. The social e0change theory predicts that an individal may decide to leave

a relationship if the ratio of costs and rewards ceases to 'e positive. If the

costs otweigh the rewards/ then person will loo* for a via'le and

attractive alternative.

E2A3ATING SO+IA E:+(ANGE

• Assmes people spend time and e@ort evalating their relationships -

don%t we tend to do this once the relationship has 'ro*en downK

• Rewards and costs increase as the relationship develops.

• Liews people as 'eing self-centred and li*ely to leave if the costs otweigh

the rewards F so why do people stay in sch nrewarding relationshipsK

E;loser% will feel dissatised and the >winner%.

O=R PRI8&IP6)

!. People try to ma0imise their rewards and minimise negativee0periences.


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2. 4istri'tion of rewards is negotiated to ensre fairness/ cold 'e

throgh a trade o@ or compensation.

. =nfair relationships prodce dissatisfaction which the loser feels the

most.

. As long as the loser feels that there is a chance to restore fairness

and is motivated to save the relationship/ they will try to re-

esta'lish eity.

LA8 :PR68 A84 1==8B ;!""$<

• They carried ot a longitdinal stdy sing 2+" coples recrited 'y an

advert in a local paper. GM, were married and the remainder were

coha'iting.

•

They o'tained a score for eity in the relationship sing arteld%s 9lo'al7easrement of atisfaction and fond that M+, of men and women felt

that their relationship was eita'le. 2+, of men felt over-'eneted and

2+, of women felt nder-'eneted.

• One year later/ coples were as*ed a'ot satisfaction in relationship.

Those who felt they were eita'le at stage one were most satised/ the

over-'eneted the ne0t and the nder 'eneted were least satised. This

spports the eity theory.


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A2 Psychology Relationships Notes