Sex differences in jealousy: the recall of cues to sexual and emotional infidelity in personally more and less threatening context conditions – Achim Schutzwohl and Stephanie Koch (2004) Aim – To test Buss’s (1992) belief that males fear sexual infidelity more, while...
Self- disclosure = the revealing of personal information about oneself to another The concept believes we reveal more personal information to people we like and in turn we like people who reveal more personal information about themselves to us. Self-disclosure...
Physical attractiveness is viewed by society as one of the most important factors of relationship formation, but is this view supported by research? Physical attractiveness is an immediate and accessible way for potential partners to rate each other. Individuals are...
Matching Hypothesis- the idea that individuals are attracted to people of similar perceived attractiveness The matching hypothesis (Walster et al., 1966) suggests that people realise at a young age that not everybody can form relationships with the most attractive...
Kerckhoff & David (1962) Filter theory believes that choice of partners is affected by factors limiting the availability of those possible to select from. There is a series of filters that serves to ‘thin down the field’ to those available. Similarity of social...
Social Exchange theory – an economic explanation of relationship maintenance based on maximizing profits and minimizing costs. In any relationship both partners are continually giving and receiving items of value to and from each other and as people are fundamentally...
Equity theory sees relationship maintenance occurring through balance and stability Equity in relationship theory does not mean equality; instead it believes individuals are motivated to achieve fairness in relationships and to feel dissatisfied with inequity...
Rusbult’s model sees factors of satisfaction level, quality of alternatives and investment as determining relationship commitment Rusbult’s theory attempts to identify the determinants of relationship commitment and is comprised of three factors positively linked with...
Duck (2001) proposed three general reasons for why relationships break up: Pre-existing doom – incompatibility and failure are fairly much guaranteed from the start of the relationship Mechanical failure- two compatible, well meaning people grow apart and find that...
Summarize the main points that describe social exchange theory using research evidence (SET) The theory sees people as perceiving their feelings for others in terms of profit (the rewards obtained from relationships minus the costs). The greater the rewards and the...
Several male strategies have evolved seeking to maximise opportunities for mating success, including the following: Courtship Rituals – allow males to display genetic potential, through characteristics and resource abilities. Size – males evolved to be bigger,...
Several female strategies have evolved that maximise opportunities for mating success, including; Sexy Sons Hypothesis- females select attractive males as they will produce sons with the same attractive features, increasing their sons’ and thus their own reproductive...
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) - within each animal species, including humans, there is variation, making people not identical. Part of the variation comes from differences in individuals genes, 50% inherited from each parent, but genes (strands of DNA) can also undergo...