Social Psychology lecture 5: close relationships

What is attachment theory

A theory explaining the emotional bond between a child and their primary caregiver.

What are internal working models

Mental expectations about relationships, the self and others developed through early attachment.

What are the three things internal working models influence

How relationships work, whether we are worthy of love, and whether others can be trusted.

What did Harlow's monkey experiment (1959) investigate

Whether infant monkeys prefer a mother providing food or one providing warmth and comfort.

How was Harlow's monkey experiment conducted

Monkeys were given a cloth mother without milk and a wire mother providing milk.

What were the results of Harlow's experiment

Monkeys preferred the cloth mother and sought comfort from it when frightened.

What did Harlow's experiment demonstrate

Attachment depends on emotional comfort and warmth, not just the provision of food.

What is the Strange Situation Paradigm

Ainsworth's experiment observing infant behaviour during separation from and reunion with their caregiver.

What does the Strange Situation Paradigm measure

How infants react when their caregiver leaves and returns.

What are the three major infant attachment styles

Secure, avoidant and anxious-ambivalent.

What characterizes secure infant attachment

Active exploration, distress during separation and a positive response to the caregiver's return.

What type of caregiving is associated with secure attachment

Available, responsive and warm caregiving.

What characterizes avoidant infant attachment

Detachment, avoidance of caregiver contact and limited outward distress.

What type of caregiving is associated with avoidant attachment

Rejecting, rigid or hostile caregiving.

What characterizes anxious-ambivalent infant attachment

Distress during separation and anger or ambivalence towards the caregiver upon reunion.

What type of caregiving is associated with anxious-ambivalent attachment

Insensitive, intrusive and inconsistent caregiving.

What is a secure base

A caregiver who provides safety and security, allowing a child to explore the environment.

What parenting behaviour encourages secure attachment

Consistent warmth, sensitivity and responsiveness to the child's needs.

Does childhood attachment influence adult relationships

Yes. Early attachment styles are relatively stable and can influence adult relationships.

What are the four adult attachment styles

Secure, preoccupied, dismissing-avoidant and fearful-avoidant.

What characterizes secure adult attachment

Comfort with intimacy, trust, dependence and independence without excessive fear of rejection.

What characterizes preoccupied attachment

Desire for intimacy combined with fear of rejection and worry about being undervalued.

What characterizes dismissing-avoidant attachment

Strong independence, self-sufficiency and discomfort with emotional dependence.

What characterizes fearful-avoidant attachment

Desire for intimacy combined with fear of getting hurt and difficulty trusting others.

What are the two dimensions of adult attachment in the lecture

Model of self (dependence/anxiety) and model of others (avoidance).

What is the model of self in adult attachment

Whether a person views themselves positively or negatively in relationships.

What is the model of others in adult attachment

Whether a person views other people as trustworthy or untrustworthy.

What is the attachment profile of secure adults

Positive model of self and positive model of others.

What is the attachment profile of preoccupied adults

Negative model of self and positive model of others.

What is the attachment profile of dismissing-avoidant adults

Positive model of self and negative model of others.

What is the attachment profile of fearful-avoidant adults

Negative model of self and negative model of others.

Is early attachment style destiny

No. Attachment can change through life events, therapy and new relationships.

Can someone have different attachment styles in different relationships

Yes. Attachment styles can vary depending on the relationship.

How can culture influence attachment styles

Behaviours considered insecure in Western cultures may be normal or adaptive in other cultures.

What is the matching principle

People tend to form romantic relationships with others who have a similar level of physical attractiveness.

What is proximity in attraction

Physical or psychological closeness that increases opportunities for interaction and liking.

What did the MIT student housing study demonstrate

Students living closer together were more likely to become friends.

According to the MIT study, what percentage of students one door away became friends

41%.

Does proximity influence online relationships

Yes. Repeated online exposure, frequent communication and psychological closeness can foster liking.

What is the mere exposure effect

Repeated exposure to a person or object increases liking towards it.

Does the mere exposure effect always occur

No. It generally occurs when the initial reaction is neutral or positive.

Who investigated the mere exposure effect using reversed facial images

Mita, Dermer and Knight (1977).

What did Mita et al. (1977) discover

People preferred their mirror image, while friends and partners preferred their actual image.

Why did people prefer different facial images in Mita et al.'s study

People were more familiar with their mirror image, while friends and partners were more familiar with their actual image.

What is misattribution of arousal

Incorrectly interpreting physical arousal as being caused by a different emotion or situation.

What physical symptoms can indicate arousal

Increased heart rate, sweating and physiological excitement.

Who conducted the bridge study on arousal and attraction

Dutton and Aron (1974).

What was the research question of Dutton and Aron's bridge study

Can fear-related physical arousal increase romantic attraction?

How was Dutton and Aron's bridge study conducted

Men crossed either a dangerous or safe bridge and were approached by an attractive female researcher.

What were the results of Dutton and Aron's bridge study

Men approached immediately after crossing the dangerous bridge were more likely to contact the researcher.

What did Dutton and Aron's bridge study demonstrate

People may misinterpret fear-related arousal as romantic attraction.

What is the halo effect

The tendency to assume that someone with one positive characteristic also has other positive characteristics.

What does "What is beautiful is good" refer to

The halo effect: attractive people are assumed to have other positive qualities.

What are possible consequences of the halo effect

Attractive people may receive more job offers, more positive treatment and less severe punishment.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy

An expectation influences behaviour in a way that makes the expectation come true.

How can attractiveness create a self-fulfilling prophecy

Attractive people receive more positive social interactions, which can improve their social skills and friendships.

What universally attractive facial features are mentioned in the lecture

Youthful appearance, baby-facedness and facial symmetry.

Why may facial symmetry be considered attractive

It may signal good genes and health.

What body shapes are described as attractive in the lecture

Hourglass shape for women and inverted triangle shape for men.

What is the proposed significance of waist-to-hip ratio

It may signal estrogen or testosterone and be associated with fertility and dominance.

Are beauty standards universal and unchanging

No. Standards of attractiveness vary across cultures, contexts and historical periods.

What did the 45-country mate preference study investigate

Gender differences in heterosexual mate preferences across 45 countries.

What were the findings of the 45-country mate preference study

Men, more than women, preferred attractive and young mates; women, more than men, preferred older mates with financial prospects.

Why is it important to consider cultural differences in mate preferences

Preferences vary across cultures and individuals, so average gender differences are not universal rules.

Why did people historically get married

Economic necessity, political alliances, property, inheritance, religion and childrearing.

What are important modern reasons for marriage

Romantic love and companionship, alongside cultural and religious reasons.

What is Sternberg's Triangular Model of Love

A theory proposing that love consists of intimacy, passion and commitment.

What are the three components of Sternberg's theory

Intimacy, passion and commitment.

What is intimacy in Sternberg's theory

Emotional closeness, connection and trust.

What is passion in Sternberg's theory

Physical attraction, romance and sexual desire.

What is commitment in Sternberg's theory

The decision to maintain a relationship over time.

What is liking in Sternberg's model

Intimacy alone.

What is infatuation in Sternberg's model

Passion alone.

What is empty love in Sternberg's model

Commitment alone.

What is romantic love in Sternberg's model

Intimacy plus passion.

What is companionate love in Sternberg's model

Intimacy plus commitment.

What is fatuous love in Sternberg's model

Passion plus commitment.

What is consummate love in Sternberg's model

Intimacy plus passion plus commitment; the complete form of love.

What is Social Exchange Theory

A theory proposing that people maximize relationship rewards and minimize costs.

What are rewards in a relationship

Positive outcomes such as love, support, companionship, security and happiness.

What are costs in a relationship

Negative outcomes or contributions such as stress, arguments, effort and sacrifices.

What is equity in Social Exchange Theory

A similar ratio of costs and benefits for both partners.

Does equity mean both partners contribute exactly the same amount

No. It means both experience a relatively fair balance of contributions and benefits.

What happens to an underbenefiting partner

They may feel dissatisfied, angry or depressed.

What happens to an overbenefiting partner

They may feel satisfied but experience guilt.

What is the comparison level (CL)

The average relationship outcome a person expects based on expectations and previous experiences.

What is the comparison level for alternatives (CLalt)

How attractive a person's alternatives to their current relationship seem.

What are relationship investments

Resources put into a relationship, such as time, money, emotional energy and shared property.

What determines relationship satisfaction in the lecture's model

Rewards minus costs minus comparison level (CL).

What determines relationship commitment in the lecture's model

Satisfaction minus comparison level for alternatives (CLalt) plus investments.

Can someone be dissatisfied but highly committed

Yes. Few attractive alternatives and substantial investments can maintain commitment.

How might dating apps affect relationship commitment according to the model

They may increase perceived alternatives, potentially reducing commitment.

What is relationship dissolution

The ending or breakdown of a romantic relationship, including separation and divorce.

What did Gottman's research investigate

Whether observing how couples interact and handle conflict can predict divorce.

What two important indicators of relationship strain are highlighted in Gottman's research

Dominance of negative affect and physiological responses during conflict.

What is dominance of negative affect

Negative emotions such as anger, hostility and criticism dominate interactions between partners.

What physiological responses during conflict may indicate relationship strain

Increased heartbeat, sweaty palms and physical restlessness.

What absence of positive behaviours is associated with later divorce in the lecture

Lack of shared humour, laughter, playfulness, curiosity, affection, excitement and empathy.

What is sunk cost bias in relationships

The tendency to stay in a relationship because of the investments already made.

What types of investments can contribute to sunk cost bias

Time, money, children, shared property, emotional energy and social connections.