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