Post on 08-May-2015
description
Formation of......
Theories of formation, maintenance and
breakdown of human romantic relationships.
A
Students
Guide
Psychology Ex-L. Catherine Rose Riley. 12VICN
CONTENTS
Theories of formation of romantic relationships
Maintenance of romantic relationships
Breakdown on romantic relationships
Extra:VocabularyReferences
Independent working log
THEORIES OF FORMATION OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Clore & Byrne – Reinforcement affect model:
Reinforcement leads us to like people who reward us. Such reinforcement might be someone else acting positively towards us, or a situation involving someone else rewarding us.Affect refers to the positive feelings that are associated with a good experience. If a particular event or situation creates positive feelings, then a person who is associated with the event becomes a conditioned stimulus, producing the conditioned response. Increased affect towards that person leads to relationship formation.
Evaluation:•This is a relatively simple model•The model does not account for relationships were rewards are irrelevant
Argyle – Reward/ Need Satisfaction
People form relationships because interpersonal relationships satisfy parts of the seven basic motives or needs:1. Biological2. Dependency3. Affiliation4. Dominance5. Sex6. Aggression7. Self esteem
Evaluation:• This explanation is more appropriate to individualist
societies because the needs are focused on the individual not the group
THEORIES OF FORMATION OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
MAINTENANCE OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Social Exchange Theory – Thibaut and Kelley
Social exchange refers to the exchange of rewards between two people, such as being cared for, companionship and sex. Relationships also incur costs such as money spent, or opportunities missed. According to this theory people maximise their rewards and minimise costs, so they receive a profit from the relationship e.g. Satisfaction. In order to judge the rewards in a relationship, people make two comparisons:1. Between actual and expected rewards.2. The comparison level for alternative relationshipsThibaut and Kelley suggest relationships develop through key
stages:• Sampling- explore rewards and costs directly and
indirectly• Bargaining- prospective partners establish sources of
profit and loss• Commitment- routines are established• Institutionalisation- norms and mutual expectations are
established
Evaluation of social exchange theory – Thibaut and Kelley
Social exchange theory can be applied to all types of relationships. It takes an mechanistic approach. In reality, relationships are more complex. It is difficult to define rewards or costs, and to quantify satisfaction or profit. It also focuses too much on the individual perspective, rather than social aspects of a relationship, such as how partners talk with each other and interpret shared events.
MAINTENANCE OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
MAINTENANCE OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships are maintained through strategies that couples develop. Rusburt et al 1986 suggested that there are four strategies that can be combined. Active or passive, constructive or destructive e.g. Loyalty = passive, constructive strategy where a partner waits for the situation to improve.
Evaluation:This is a more recent approach, looking at the interaction between partners, rather than an individual perspective. It is more qualitative approach than social exchange theory.
THE MAINTENANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE EXPLAINED MORE SIMPLY IN DAILY ROUTINES
BREAKDOWN OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Duck – Stage model of relational dissolutionDuck described breakdown in five stages.1. Breakdown- dissatisfaction leads to
breaking point2. Intra-psychic phase- thinking about the
relationship at first in private, then with confidants, and finally with partner. Repair strategy: re-establish liking for partner.
3. Dyadic stage- deciding whether to break up or repair. Repair strategy: express conflicts, clear the air and reformulate rules for future relationship.
4. Social phase- including others in debate, enlisting support for your side. Repair strategy: outsiders may help to patch things up or encourage separation.
5. Grave dressing phase- post mortem for public or private re-adjustment. Repair strategy: decide on mutually acceptable version of events, and/or savage friendship out of the breakup.
BREAKDOWN OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Evaluation of Duck’s stage model of relational dissolutionStrength = The inclusion of repair strategies. Useful for marriage guidance to identify the stage of dissolution reached, and strategies appropriate to that stage.Duck focused on the process that take place after breakdown and focused less on early events.Stage models so not explain why breakdown occurs, they are descriptive.
BREAKDOWN OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Duck- Risk factorsDuck suggested that breakdown can be explained in terms of risk factors.1. Predisposing personal factors- dispositional
=distasteful personal habits, change in interests, poor role models , dissonance on poor social skills.
2. Precipitating factors- situational= deception, boredom, relocation, conflict, or a better alternative.
EvaluationThese factors offer an explanation for dissolution.Many relationships are stable despite the presence of such factors. Some factors are intervening variables e.g. Lower educational levels may be associated with divorce, but may not be the cause.
Source
Book Letts and Lonsdale – Revise As+A2Complete study and revision guide
AQA PsychologyCara Flanagan
Published by Letts and Lonsdale
Website http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:MqO74Pb3PD0J:www.virtualpsychology.co.uk/powerpoint/TheoriesofAttraction_theformationofrelationships.ppt+theories+of+formation+of+relationships&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
Last accessed: Wednesday 12th August
REFERENCES
VOCABULARYWord/Phrase Meaning
Interpersonal attraction This relates to being interested in another person, and wanting
to get to know them better
Match Hypothesis The tendency to form a relationship with someone who
is of similar level of attractiveness to oneself
Law of attraction The idea that how much we like someone is directly related to how similar our attitudes are
Close Relationships A connection between two people which involves
interdependence in many areas of their lives
Field of availables The name given to the large group of people we could
potentially have a relationship with
Field of desirables Those we would see as potential partners
INDEPENDENT LEARNING LOGDate of work
completedSummary of work
completed
Friday 19th June Background research
Saturday 20th June Reading on topic and relevant vocabulary
noted
Friday 3rd July Writing up all studies
Saturday 4th July Reading and understanding studies
Sunday 5th July Browsed internet and noted relevant
information
Thursday 23rd July Rough copy of write up completed
Wednesday 12th August Final draft finished