Intimate Relationships: Chapters 1-3

Null hypothesis

"no difference" hypothesis no association between variable and no difference between groups

After marriage: romantic love and passion... intimacy and commitment...

-- decrease increase

ABC- X

A= stressor: may be positive or negative B= resources: may be financial, emotional, social C= perception of the stressor X= crisis: how the stressor is experienced and responds to

What method... Cross- sectional or longitudinal

Archival

Unhappy, Unstable

CL- what we think we deserve CL- Alt- what we think we can get elsewhere Outcome- what we're getting

Unhappy, Stable

CL- what we think we deserve Outcome- what we're getting CL-Alt- what we think we can get elsewhere

Happy, Unstable

CL-Alt- what we think we can get elsewhere Outcome- what we're getting CL- what we think we deserve

Commitment equation

Commitment= Satisfaction+ Dependence (barriers and investments like time and money may also influence behavior)

What method... What are relationships like?

Correlational research

Negative view of others- HIGH AVOIDANCE Positive view of self- LOW ANXIETY

Dismissing

What method... Why relationships change and determining cause and effect

Experiment

Negative view of self- HIGH ANXIETY Negative view of others- HIGH AVOIDANCE

Fearful

Comparison Level (CL)

If people's outcome is better than what they expect, they are satisfied with their relationship Satisfaction= Outcome- CL (What we're getting- what we think we deserve)

Comparison Level Alternative (CL-Alt)

If people's outcome is better than what they think they could get elsewhere they are dependent on their relationship Dependency= Outcome- Cl-Alt (What you're getting- what you think you could get elsewhere)

Triangular theory of love

Intimacy (emotional) Passion (motivation) Commitment (cognitive)

What method... How do relationships change or predicting whether and when they will end

Longitudinal research

Happy, Stable

Outcome - what we're getting CL- Alt - what we think we can get elsewhere CL - what we think we deserve

Relationship weighing equation

Outcome= rewards- costs

Positive view of others- LOW AVOIDANCE Negative view of self- HIGH ANXIETY

Preoccupied

Positive view of self- LOW ANXIETY Positive view of others- LOW AVOIDANCE

Secure

Methodology

The key to separating accurate from inaccurate information is a focus on..

The need for theories?

Theories offer a framework for studying relationships

Scientific method

Theory Hypothesis Operationalization Measurement Study design Data analysis Revision of theory

Memory bias

They either don't remember, or do and want to change it

Relationship scientists sample ____ societies

W.E.I.R.D western educate industrialized rich democratic

Descriptive questions

WHAT happens

Predictions questions

WHEN does it happen

Explanation questions

WHY does it happen

Methodology asks:

What info was gathered? How was the info gathered? Who was the info gathered from? What conclusions can be made?

Westerners view love as

a fairy tale

Measurement

a means of collecting data using the operationalization of the psychological construct could be in the form of self- report (fixed response or open-ended)

Easterners view love as

a mixed blessing- both good and bad

Low Satisfaction High Dependence

abusive relationships/ "empty-shell" marriages

Social Exchange Considerations

assumes relationship decisions are guided by rational thought not well suited for explaining rational change

Quantitative

attempts to explain with numbers and objective data highly structured generalizes from samples to populations

High Satisfaction High Dependence

attracted and mutually committed relationships

Social learning theory addresses

behavior

Social ecological models address

broader relationship context, like stress

Social desirability

cause of concern. if you're worried about people lying, you're worried about social desirability

Dismissing

comfortable without close relationships. very important to me to feel independent and self- sufficient. prefer not to depend on others or have others depend on me

Companionate love

commitment + intimacy

Empty love

commitment alone

Elements of an experiement

dependent variable independent variable control random assignment

Secure

easy to become emotionally close to others. comfortable showing and receiving affection

Double ABC-X

element of time Double A= pile-up of stressors over time Double B= resources that have been accumulated over time Double C= perception of the accumulation of stressors over time Double X= cumulative experience and reaction to stressors over time

Social Learning Theory

focuses on present behaviors that partners exchange and if they are rewarded for these behaviors focuses on couple rather than individual enhance observational methods

Social Exchange Theory

focuses on the present partners seek to maximize outcomes through the exchange of social goods (status, approval, info) partners evaluate relationship by weighing reward and costs (can be material or non-material)

Theory

general explanation that spawns predictions must be falsifiable (testable) you have to be able to prove it wrong

Population

group about which the researcher wants to draw conclusions (every married couple in the world)

Those who are in intimate relationships are

happier and healthier

Is the attachment figure near and responsive? NO

infant experiences defensiveness. infant avoids close contact, prefers solitary behavior

Is the attachment figure near and responsive? MAYBE

infant experiences fear and anxiety. displays visual checking, attempts to reestablish contact, whining, pleading, clinging

Is the attachment figure near and responsive? YES

infant experiences security, love, confidence. displays sociable, uninhibited exploration

Ingredients of an intimate relationship

interdependence that is bidirectional close relationship extends over time and across situations personal, rather than impersonal expectation of sexual intimacy

Romantic love

intimacy + passion

Consummate love

intimacy + passion + commitment

Liking

intimacy alone

Social Control Theory

intimate relationships increase the negative consequences of deviant behavior

6 components

knowledge caring interdependence mutuality ("we-ness") trust commitment

People in intimate, committed relationships are ___ likely to misuse alcohol and drugs

less

Low sex ration=

less men

Attachment Theory

looks to the past look to relationships with primary caregiver early childhood experiences

Parental marriage is related to:

lower levels of poverty higher levels of education fewer emotional problems fewer behavioral problems

Evolutionary theory addresses

mate preference

children with divorced parents are ____ likely to have their marriage end in divorce

more

Parental relationship satisfaction is related to:

more emotional security fewer emotional problems fewer behavioral problems greater physical health

High sex ratio=

more men

Ethical issues

not a waste of participants' time answers aren't shared (confidentiality and anonymity) participants aren't harmed participants know what to expect give informed consent

Strategies

observation (in home or a lab)

Qualitative

observing/ recording behavior through interviews details and descriptions are important understand more nuanced experiences how/why?

Attachment theory addresses

partner perception

Fatuous love

passion + commitment

Infatuation

passion alone

Sample

people from whom data are collected -sample must match population (married couples in Missouri)

Social Exchange Theory and Behavior

people with higher levels of commitment are more likely to: remain together, pay less attention to alternatives, make sacrifices for their parnter

Relationships matter for:

physical and psychological well-being

Correlational research

positive or negative can't make causal conclusions may be longitudinal

Differences in love: Men

possess more romantic attitudes are more apt to believe in love at first sight tend to fall in love faster

Research hypothesis

prediction that comes from theory frequently referred to as the hypothesis

Features of organisms may be adaptive for two reasons:

promotion of survival promotion of procreation- sexual selection this was a time for hunting(men) and gathering(women)

Intimate relationships offer..

protection effects

Experimental Research

random assignment groups allows for causal conclusions involves independent variable and dependent variable external validity is important (it makes sense and might actually happen in the real world

Inter-rater reliablility

researchers must be on the same page

Rewards v. Costs

rewards- anything good in relationship costs- anything bad in relationship

Social Learning Theory Rewards v. Costs

rewards- increase likelihood of a behavior costs- decrease the likelihood of a behavior

Attachment behavior system (attachment theory)

seeks to maximize felt security

Negative reciprocity

seen in distressed couples when negative behaviors occur a lot and people feel less positively about their relationship

Volunteer bias

something unique about the group ex: if only women volunteer

Hypothesis

specific testable prediction comes from a theory replication is key

Operationalization

specific, concrete way of thinking about a psychological construct that lacks measurable, physical attributes -measuring things that don't have a unit of measurement such as commitment, love, conflict, satisfaction

Social exchange theory addresses

stability and satisfaction

Well-being is effected by

status quality satisfaction transitions in and out of relationships

Low Satisfaction Low Dependence

strangers, pairs that are now dissolved

Cultures with high sex ratios...

support traditional old-fashioned roles

Construct validity

the degree to which the operationalization used reflects the psychological construct of interest -ex: an operationalization of relationship satisfaction based on if partners clothes match doesn't have construct validity it can be high or low high= confident

Evolutionary perspective

the mind is subject to evolutionary pressures to procreate

basic feature of human beings

the need to belong intrinsic motivation

Intimate relationships matter to

the partners in the relationship their children society

Intergenerational transmission

things get passed down

Fearful

uncomfortable getting close to others. want emotionally close relationships, but find it difficult to trust others completely or to depend on them. I worry that I will be hurt if I allow myself to get too close to others

High Satisfaction Low Dependence

uncommitted lovers

children with parents in unhappy marriages are more likely to have ____ marriages

unhappy

Archival research

uses preexisting data or information to see if variables are related or groups are different ex: yearbook photos, letters, historical documents, etc

Preoccupied

want to be completely emotionally intimate with others, often find that others are reluctant to get as close as I would like. uncomfortable being without close relationships but sometimes worry that others don't value me as much as I value them

Convenience samples v. representative samples

what's easier v. what shows real results

Principle of lesser interest

who has better alternatives? who has less to lose? HIMYM- The reacher and the settler (Marshall and Lilly)

Also tend to oversample...

women college students heterosexuals

Parental investment

women are able to have a limited number of children women tend to be primary caregivers men are able to father more children women put many resources into few offspring men put few resources into many offspring

Infidelity

women are upset by men's potential emotional infidelity men are upset by women's potential sexual infidelity

Every correlation between 2 variables is subject to three possible interpretations

x may cause y y may cause x both x and y may be the result of some other unmeasured variable