Personal relationships

Which studies are using for biological explanations for formation of relationship?

Which studies are using for biological explanations for formation of relationship?

Fisher et al (2005)

Ditzen et al (2009)

Define a romantic relationship.

a relationship involving strong and frequent interdependence, characterised by a physical bond

Hatfield and Rapson (1994) distinguish between passionate and compassionate love.

Define passionate love.

a state of intense longing for union with another person

Define compassionate love.

warm, trusting, tolerant affection

State three statistics about the importance of relationships.

• meta analysis of 148 studies found that those with stronger social relationships have 50% lower chance of health problems

• studies of elderly in nursing homes indicate lack of social relationships is as strong a risk for mortality as smoking, obesity

• study of 300 women with heart disease found that marital stress tripled risk of heart attacks, heart surgery

What methods are there to explain personal relationships?

• Biological

• Cognitive

• Sociocultural

Which study explains the role of hormones in the formation on relationships?

Fisher et al (2005)

Explain some background of the neurochemistry of love.

• when person attracted to someone they display an altered mental state - mood swings

• Fisher argues there is a specific attraction system in the brain associated with dopamine rich areas to focus mating energy on one person

  • this system characterised by neurotransmitters: dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin

Explain Fisher et al (2005) study.

Aim: investigate specific neural mechanisms associated with romantic love.

Participants: self selected sample of 10 women and 7 men who were intensely in love for average 7.4 months.

Procedure: Semi-structured interview to establish duration and intensity of romantic love. Passionate Love Scale questionnaire to compare to fMRI. Looked at photograph of beloved for 30 seconds. Filler task. Neutral photograph for 30 seconds. Repeated 6 times.

Findings: Increased activity in brain with high levels of dopamine neurons. More passionate = more active.

Conclusion: Romantic love supported by motivation system. Dopamine behind the intense emotions associated with romantic love.

What is some critical thinking for Fisher et al?

• small sample size - unrepresentative of population

• Love Scale may not be reliable/valid

• Marazitti et al (1999) discovered that low serotonin levels of new lovers equivalent to low serotonin of people with OCD - low serotonin could play more role than high dopamine

• lust and attraction known to blur functioning of prefrontal cortex due to increased hormones - leads to irrational behaviour

What is oxytocin and what role does it play?

Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a role in social trust and bonding between people. Shown to increase trust, affection, cooperation between people.

Which study explores the role of oxytocin in the formation of relationships?

Ditzen et al (2009)

Explain Ditzen’s study.

Ditzen et al (2009)

Aim: role of oxytocin in how couples diagnose contentious issue

Participants: 47 heterosexual couples

Procedure: double-blind placebo-controlled. Each couple received oxytocin/placebo intranasally then videotaped discussing contentious issue. Coded for verbal and nonverbal interaction. Stress hormone cortisol repeatedly measured.

Findings: oxytocin improved communication and lowered cortisol.

Conclusion: oxytocin facilitates pair bonding behaviour.

What is some critical thinking for Ditzen’s study?

• oxytocin itself not the factor that determines the strength of a relationship

• use of placebo

• artificial environment

• only heterosexual couples

What studies are using for cognitive explanations for formation of relationships?

Markey and Markey (2007)

Waltser (1966)

What is the Similarity Attraction hypothesis?

SA hypothesis by Burne (1971)

• We form close relationships with people we percieve to be similar to ourselves

• Sharing attitudes and values boosts self-esteem and leads to attraction

Which study supports the SA hypothesis? Explain it.

Markey and Markey (2007)

Aim: role of SA in choosing romantic partners

Participants: 103 female and 66 male single undergraduates looking for romantic partner (mean age 19.1 years)

Procedure: Questionnaire where rated personality, values and attitudes of themselves and ideal partner. Completed filler questionnaires to disguise true purpose of study.

Findings: described themselves similarly to ideal partner (dominant and dominant, warm person and warm person). Similarity in potential partner important.

Conclusion: SA model valid

What is some critical thinking for Markey and Markey?

• volunteer sample - may not be representative of whole population

• mean age 19.1 years - very young, might not have much experience in relationships

• use of questionnaire - social desirability bias may affect response but data easy to collect and analyse

What is the Matching Hypothesis?

• People are more likely to form and succeed in a committed relationship with someone who is equally socially desirable, typically in the form of physical attraction.

• Each individual has a perception of their own level of attractiveness (self schema)

• Influenced by desirability of potential match and probability of obtaining the match.

Which study explores the Matching Hypothesis? Explain it.

Walster et al (1966)

Aim: investigate importance of attractiveness on first date and whether individuals of higher physical attractiveness had harsher judgement of others

Participants: 376 male and 376 female undergrad students of computer science

Procedure: ‘computer dance’ arranged and upon sign-up 4 judges secretly assessed students’ physical attractiveness. Filled in a questionnaire for use in pairing, though pairing was done randomly (though no man paired with taller woman). Questionnaire about their date e.g. how much they liked the date, whether they wanted to go out again

Findings: people with higher physical attractiveness ratings had more harsh judgement of their dates. Physical attractiveness most important factor in whether enjoyed the date. When asked 6 months later if had dated partner since, people of similar physical attractiveness ratings were more likely.

Conclusion: supports the Matching Hypothesis.

What is some critical thinking for Waltser?

• ‘attractiveness’ difficult to operationalise

• 4 judges who assigned attractiveness ratings had brief interactions, if spent longer may have altered their ratings

• affected by beta bias and focus on male views - Meltzer et al (2014) found that men rate long-term relationships as more satisfying if find partner physically attractive, but for women didn’t influence satisfaction