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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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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.
- 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#$%A#&
- They sed estionnaires so they are ic* and easy.
- 4oes not ta*e into consideration homose0als.
- The model focses on physical attractiveness 't this can 'e overcome 'y
other attri'tes sch as money.
- Physical attractiveness is more important to men than woman ; TAB6=&Iield of
desira'les% are people we cold possi'ly 'e with and are a smaller grop.
T6R6 AR6 TR66 I)T6R(
- The rst lter is a socialCdemographic varia'les. People from >eld ofdesira'les% that we come into contact with. Personal factors don%t really
ma*e a di@erence.
- The second lter is similarity of attitde or vales. If the cople share
similar 'eliefs or ideals/ there is a higher chance of the relationship
progressing. If it does not scceed/ ltering ot will occr.
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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.
- The third lter is complimentary of emotional needs. This is where yo are
thin*ing a'ot the other person%s needs as opposed to yors.
BOARD%NEED SATSFI+ATION 'ODE
• Byrne an! +lore ,-./#0 - 5e spend a lot of time in relationships 'ecase
we nd them rewarding and we nd life alone npleasant and nrewarding.
• Direct re1ar!s ;Operant &onditioning< can 'e things sch as friendship/
love and se0.
• In!irect re1ar!s ;&lassical conditioning< sch as 'eing associated with
pleasant circmstances.
A REATIONS(I) )RO2IDES NEEDS BEING F3FIED AND
REWARDS*
+lark an! 'ills ,-./.04
- 60change relationships at the start
- DIf yo do this/ I%ll do thatE
Relationship progresses into a commnal relationship which is o@ering
rewards e0pecting nothing in retrn.
)IBI89 TRO=9 AO&IATIO8 F 7A: A84 A7I)TO8 ;!"G$
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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.
• 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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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.
. 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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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.
8/21/2019 A2 Psychology Relationships Notes.
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Jide OlaofeA2 Psychology revision notes- Relationships.