Communication and Relationship Maintenance

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Questions and Answers

In what way do husbands in unhappy marriages typically differ in their communication compared to those in happy marriages?

  • They avoid nonverbal cues and rely solely on verbal communication.
  • They send clearer messages but struggle to decode their wives' communication.
  • They send more confusing messages and struggle to decode messages. (correct)
  • They intentionally send hurtful messages to express their dissatisfaction.

According to the Intimacy Process Model, what is the MOST critical element that determines whether intimacy deepens between partners after one partner discloses something?

  • How the partner interprets the disclosure based on their own needs and fears. (correct)
  • The initiator's pre-existing level of self-esteem and confidence.
  • The partner's immediate verbal response to the disclosure, regardless of underlying feelings.
  • The factual content and details of the disclosure itself.

According to the investment model of commitment in relationships, what mechanisms are employed to maintain a relationship?

  • Accommodation, willingness to sacrifice, and derogation of tempting alternatives. (correct)
  • Consistently prioritizing personal needs over the partner's.
  • Avoiding conflict at all costs and repressing personal desires.
  • Maintaining a strict balance of power and control within the partnership.

Which of the following BEST exemplifies the concept of 'accommodation' as a relationship maintenance mechanism?

<p>Making a conscious effort to protect the partnership from harm, demonstrated through self-restraint. (D)</p>
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Why is maintaining self-expansion considered difficult in long-term relationships?

<p>Partners become too familiar with each other, diminishing the novelty and excitement that fuels self-expansion. (D)</p>
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What is the MOST accurate conclusion based on research regarding the 'five love languages'?

<p>There is no statistically significant correlation between alignment in love languages and relationship satisfaction. (D)</p>
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Under what conditions is forgiveness in a relationship MOST likely to occur?

<p>When the transgression is minor, the victim is empathetic and agreeable, and the transgressor apologizes. (A)</p>
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What might be the underlying reason why people with lower socioeconomic status (SES) worry more about the possibility of divorce compared to those with higher SES?

<p>They face a more challenging time finding suitable marriage partners. (C)</p>
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According to Fagundes' (2010) research on the 'brighter side of dark cognitions' following a breakup, what is a potential benefit for individuals who develop more negative implicit evaluations of their ex-partner?

<p>They experience more significant improvement in adjustment. (D)</p>
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What might explain the phenomenon that life satisfaction generally increases in the time leading up to a marriage?

<p>Anticipation of marriage and its promises provides a boost to overall life satisfaction. (A)</p>
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Why might lesbian couples be at greater risk of dissolution compared to other types of couples?

<p>Societal pressures of homophobia. (C)</p>
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Why might a widowers' experience lead to social and emotional difficulties?

<p>Women are more involved in social tasks. (A)</p>
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What implications can empathy in a relationship bring?

<p>Positive if the partner has positive thoughts and feelings. (B)</p>
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What problems can be caused by nonverbal sensitivity?

<p>Decoding and encoding. (B)</p>
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What factor contributes to high commitment with a partner?

<p>Willingness to compromise and sacrifice career. (D)</p>
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What is the definition of autonomy and connection?

<p>We want to be driven to connection but we also want to do what we like. (A)</p>
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People with collectivist family cultures may experience..?

<p>Dissolution is frowned upon and the family comes first. (B)</p>
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What is the difference between motivation and behavior in forgiveness?

<p>Motivation is silent, we show forgiveness but it is not very deep. (D)</p>
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Which of the following problems is MOST common in marriages?

<p>Balancing job and marriage. (C)</p>
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During conflict, what is the characteristic of negotiating?

<p>Conflict can be solved through problem solving approaches. (D)</p>
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How does the act of 'accommodation' function within the Investment Model of Commitment to maintain a relationship?

<p>Through conscious efforts to protect the partnership from potential harm, involving self-restraint and avoiding reactions motivated by weakness. (A)</p>
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According to research findings, what is the MOST substantiated conclusion regarding the correlation between 'love language alignment' and relationship satisfaction?

<p>Current data does not demonstrate a statistical relationship between alignment in love languages and relationship satisfaction, questioning its validity. (A)</p>
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Which statement accurately reflects how empathy can have a negative effect within a relationship?

<p>If a partner has negative thoughts and feelings and one partner empathizes with the partner, it may have negative implications for the relationship. (A)</p>
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In the Intimacy Process Model (IPM), how does a partner's 'interpretive filter' influence the trajectory of intimacy development following a self-disclosure?

<p>It mediates the partner's emotional and behavioral response based on their own motivations, needs, goals, and fears, thereby shaping the initiator's subsequent interpretation and feelings of being understood or invalidated. (B)</p>
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How do the communication patterns of men and women typically differ when initiating conversations, as observed by researchers?

<p>Men start conversations with lower pitch, while women start conversations with higher pitch. (A)</p>
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During conflict escalation, what role does 'direct dysfunctional communication' play in exacerbating relationship distress?

<p>It is characterized by behaviors that directly undermine the partner's self-esteem and foster a hostile environment, such as accusatory language or condescension. (A)</p>
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Under what circumstances is forgiveness in a relationship LEAST likely to occur, despite a partner's apology?

<p>When the wronged partner feels a deep thirst for vengeance, regardless of the other person's apology. (D)</p>
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How might engaging in new and novel activities with one's partner contribute to relationship maintenance?

<p>It fosters self-expansion by introducing partners to new experiences and perspectives, combating the stagnation that can occur in long-term relationships. (C)</p>
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What differentiates 'hollow forgiveness' from genuine forgiveness in the context of interpersonal relationships?

<p>Hollow forgiveness involves expressing forgiveness without a corresponding internal shift in feelings or attitudes, leading to superficial reconciliation. (B)</p>
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How does the concept of 'dialectics' explain an ongoing source of conflict for many married couples?

<p>Dialectics highlights the inherent tensions between opposing needs, such as autonomy versus connection, creating continuous negotiation and potential conflict. (D)</p>
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How do the differing roles and responsibilities traditionally held by widows versus widowers impact their adjustment to widowhood?

<p>Widowers may encounter difficulties in maintaining social connections and managing household tasks, as these were often managed by their wives. (B)</p>
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What is the MOST accurate interpretation of findings about life satisfaction in the time leading up to a marriage?

<p>Life satisfaction typically increases, reflecting optimism and excitement and overall stays high after the event. (A)</p>
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What distinguishes the experience of widowhood from that of divorce, particularly in terms of emotional and psychological adjustment?

<p>Divorce involves the voluntary dissolution of a partnership, giving both parties a sense of control over the outcome, whereas widowhood entails an involuntary loss. (C)</p>
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How might immigration status and cultural background affect divorce rates?

<p>Immigrants tend to have lower divorce rates because they have an emphasis on family responsibilities. (C)</p>
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According to Fagundes' (2010) research, how might developing negative implicit evaluations of an ex-partner serve as a 'brighter side of dark cognitions' following a breakup?

<p>It allows individuals to rationalize their decision to end the relationship and disengage emotionally, leading to reduced depression and improved adjustment. (A)</p>
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Why might lesbian couples be statistically at a greater risk of dissolution compared to heterosexual couples?

<p>Lesbian couples may confront external stressors related to minority status and discrimination. (B)</p>
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In what way do women with less education and those living in low-income neighborhoods face a disproportionately higher risk of divorce?

<p>They may experience greater financial instability and stress, which can strain relationships. (A)</p>
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How does the level of commitment within a relationship influence the likelihood of employing relationship maintenance mechanisms?

<p>Higher commitment makes it more likely that individuals will engage in relationship maintenance mechanisms such as scarifice. (C)</p>
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How do the roles of women as 'barometers' and men as 'thermometers' potentially impact the timing and nature of relationship endings?

<p>Women, as barometers, are more likely to perceive a slow change and will know of potential problems earlier. Men, as thermometers, will only look at the current problems. (B)</p>
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In relationships, infidelity is more likely under which condition?

<p>When one or more partners have unrestricited sociosexuality and the relationship has low commitment. (C)</p>
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What considerations must be maintained when expressing forgiveness?

<p>There is motivation alone but also behavior. (B)</p>
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What is the distinction between stability and change in maintaining a relationship?

<p>Wanting to maintain this relationship and stability, but also craving new experiences. (C)</p>
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Which of the following is the BEST example of a chronic stressor in a relationship?

<p>Dealing with a consistently high crime rate in their neighborhood. (A)</p>
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Which scenario BEST illustrates an acute stressor affecting a couple?

<p>A sudden car breakdown requiring immediate repair. (D)</p>
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In what way do 'competing goals' lead to conflict in romantic relationships?

<p>When one partner's aspirations or actions obstruct those of the other. (C)</p>
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According to the dialectical perspective, which of the following BEST describes the tension between 'autonomy and connection' in relationships?

<p>The conflicting desires to be independent versus intimately linked with a partner. (C)</p>
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How can the dialectic tension between 'openness and closedness' manifest in a couple's daily interactions?

<p>The desire to self-disclose conflicting with the need for personal privacy. (C)</p>
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How does the dialectic of 'integration and separation' typically present challenges for couples during the holidays?

<p>Partners experience conflict due to differing desires to spend the holidays together versus apart. (A)</p>
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In the context of marital conflict, what BEST describes 'illegitimate demands'?

<p>Requests that are perceived as unjust because they exceed normal expectations. (B)</p>
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What does cumulative annoyance refer to in the context of interpersonal relationships?

<p>Trivial events that become irritating through repetition. (B)</p>
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Which scenario BEST illustrates the concept of a 'social allergy' in a relationship?

<p>A partner's repetitive knuckle-cracking, after waking up, elicits a disproportionately negative reaction. (D)</p>
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What differentiates 'avoidance' from 'engagement' as a beginning stage in the General Model of Conflict?

<p>Avoidance means both partners choose to evade the issue, while engagement means the issue is addressed. (B)</p>
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In the escalation stage of conflict, what role does 'direct dysfunctional communication' play?

<p>It exacerbates the conflict through personal attacks and coercion. (B)</p>
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How do children typically respond to repeated exposure to adult conflict, according to research?

<p>They become sensitized (A)</p>
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According to the material, how does childhood adversity influence an individual's response to stress in their adult relationships?

<p>Individuals with the highest childhood adversity are more likely to show differences in aggression when exposed to stress. (C)</p>
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What is the MOST encompassing definition of infidelity, as presented in the text?

<p>A violation of the agreed-upon emotional and sexual exclusivity. (D)</p>
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Why is the possibility of infidelity considered impactful in a relationship, even if it doesn't occur?

<p>It can cause conflict and erode trust between partners. (C)</p>
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How do men's and women's sensitivities typically differ concerning infidelity?

<p>Men are more sensitive to sexual infidelity, while women are more sensitive to emotional infidelity. (D)</p>
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What is MOST likely to decrease the likelihood of forgiveness after infidelity?

<p>An unremorseful partner blaming the other. (C)</p>
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What factor increases the likelihood of infidelity occurring in a relationship?

<p>Low levels of commitment and sexual disconnection. (A)</p>
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Why is it difficult to determine whether infidelity is a cause or a result of divorce?

<p>It is challenging to establish a causal relationship between infidelity and pre-existing conflict. (D)</p>
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What is true of committed relationships and how they end?

<p>Committed relationships do not end simply because one or more partners are dissatisfied. (C)</p>
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How do men and women generally differ in their role regarding relationship endings?

<p>Women are more likely attuned to relationship problems and initiate seeking therapy. (A)</p>
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According to the provided material, how can immigration and cultural background influence divorce rates?

<p>Immigrants emphasizing family responsibilities have lower divorce rates. (A)</p>
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In what way does satisfaction with the relationship change once children leave the home?

<p>Some parents experience improvement, while less satisfied parents are more likely to divorce. (C)</p>
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What is a primary factor in emotionally progressing after a divorce?

<p>Accepting that divorce has taken place and mourning accordingly. (B)</p>
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When a divorce happens after a long marriage in older generations, what is something to be accounted for?

<p>It becomes difficult to reorganize that sense of identity as an individual again. (A)</p>
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Which of the following BEST describes the 'Goodenoughs' type of divorcees?

<p>Living similar to pre-divorce. (D)</p>
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How does widowhood typically differ from divorce in terms of the individual's experience?

<p>Widowhood involves a completely involuntary loss. (A)</p>
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For widows and widowers, which factor contributes to more positive outcomes in their adjustment?

<p>Being very happily married and therefore better adjustment. (D)</p>
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Following the loss of a spouse, what adjustment is usually seen?

<p>Loosening bonds and Acceptance. (C)</p>
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Which statement best describes the interpersonal gap in communication?

<p>The sender's intentions differ from the effect on the receiver. (A)</p>
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What is the main idea behind the 'social penetration theory'?

<p>Relationships develop through changes in communication. (C)</p>
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What are 'Resources' in Stressors and Resilience?

<p>Tangible sources of support for partners and families. (D)</p>
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According to the stages of forgiveness, what is the first stage that the victim must endure?

<p>Impact. (C)</p>
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What are interpersonal distances?

<p>The space between one person and another. (C)</p>
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Accusations are what type of dysfunctional communication?

<p>Direct. (A)</p>
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In the Self-Expansion Model what does engaging in new and novel activities with one's partner do?

<p>Foster Self-expansion. (C)</p>
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In social support, what is more beneficial?

<p>Responsiveness to another's needs. (B)</p>
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In accommodation related to relationship maintenance, what is it about?

<p>When people refrain from responding to provocation from their partners. (C)</p>
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How does commitment in a relationship influence the use of relationship maintenance mechanisms?

<p>High commitment increases the likelihood of using relationship maintenance mechanisms. (C)</p>
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Flashcards

Paralanguage

Aspects of speech, like tone, pitch, and speech rate, beyond specific words.

Nonverbal Sensitivity Problems

Challenges arise when interpreting nonverbal cues, stemming from issues in encoding and decoding.

Noller (1980) on Unhappy Marriages

Husbands in unhappy marriages often communicate mixed signals and struggle to understand messages.

Intimacy Process Model (IPM)

The process where emotional intimacy develops and is maintained through reciprocal sharing and responsiveness.

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Initiator's Disclosure

Sharing self-relevant information, thoughts, feelings, or fears with a partner.

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Partner's Interpretive Filter

How the partner's motives, needs, goals, and fears influence how they process the disclosure.

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Partner's Emotional/Behavioral Response

Verbal or nonverbal reactions to a partner's disclosure that can show understanding, validation, or care.

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Initiator's Interpretive Filter

A's interpretation of B's response determining if A feels understood, validated, and cared for.

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Accommodation in Relationships

Conscious effort to shield partnership. Involves self-restraint rather than weakness.

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Self-Expansion Model

A model about novelty in relationships

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Validity of Five Love Languages

There is little statistical support to the claim of 5 love languages.

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Forgiveness: Motivation (Intrapersonal)

Forgiveness where the wronged partner wants to be kind, not vengeful.

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Forgiveness: Behavior (Interpersonal)

The wronged partner indicates the anger or need for vengeance is gone.

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Silent forgiveness

We have forgiven internally but do not act like it outwardly.

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Hollow forgiveness

We outwardly show forgiveness, but do not actually hold true forgiveness in our hearts

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Negotiation

A method of problem solving through reframing, cooperation, and communication.

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Avoidance in Conflict

When couples choose to avoid an issue and is probably best to just move on.

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Life Satisfaction Trends (Lucas, 2007)

Relationship satisfaction changes over the course of a marriage.

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Immigrants and Divorce Rates

Lower divorce rates in immigran cultures are not caused by being immigrants, but instead have an emphasis on family responsibilities.

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Collectivist Culture

Emphasis on the community, the family, and family values as a whole.

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Unhappy Marriage Communication

Sending confusing messages, decoded with difficulty.

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Empathy Implications

Being positively or negatively impacted by a partner's thoughts.

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Partner's Response

Partner (B)'s reactions (verbal/nonverbal) show understanding, validation or care.

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Impact of invalidation

Feeling misunderstood by a partner diminishes connection and trust.

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Commitment Mechanism

Sacrifice, willingness to compromise to maintain the relationship.

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Relationship Protection

Protecting the partnership from harm.

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Relationship Dialectic

Wanting closeness but needing autonomy.

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Openness vs. Closedness

Openness with privacy in a relationship.

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Forgiveness Factors

Minor transgression, empathetic victim, apologetic transgressor.

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Escalation of Conflict

Hot conflict, involving dysfunctional communication or direct attacks.

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Direct Attacks in Conflict

Accusing, putting down, or using belittling language during conflict.

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Paralanguage in conflict

Condescension, evasiveness to escalate the conflict.

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Separation

Overwhelmed and unwilling to work with others.

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Divorce Reasons

Common reasons for relationship dissolution.

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Less Negative implicit evalutations of the Ex

Individuals did not initiate break up.

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Divorce Satisfaction Dip

Lowest point before divorce happens. Steady decrease w/ satisfaction.

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High divorce risk.

There is stigma, high stress, leading to higher divorce rates.

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Values are really different.

May not necessarily mean they don't have the same values it's just the 'how to raise kids, traditions' that is slightly different.

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Widowhood

Associated with declined life satisfaction & increased depression.

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Involuntary loss

Loss of partner is completely involuntary.

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Remarrying Men

Men tend to recover from increased risk of health problems

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Stressors

Any demand on partners or families which requires them to adjust or adapt.

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Resilience

Ability to recover and adapt to challenges.

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Resources

Tangible things/assistance which provide support to partners and families.

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Coping Behaviors

What a partnership or family does when facing stressors.

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Chronic Conditions (Stressors)

Stressors that persist over time.

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Acute Events (Stressors)

Stressors that are temporary.

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Conflict

Competing objectives causing interpersonal tension.

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Dialectics

Conflicting motivatations in relationships.

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Autonomy vs. Connection

Desire for independence vs. Desire for close connection.

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Stability vs. Change

Mainting relationship stability, but craving new experiences.

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Integration vs. Separation

Desire to do things together at all times vs. desire to be apart at times.

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Criticism

Communicated unfair dissatisfaction.

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Illegitimate Demands

Requests that seem unjust and exceed what's expected.

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Rebuffs

Failing to respond as expected to another's appeal.

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Cumulative Annoyances

Trivial events that become irritating with repetition.

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"Social Allergy"

Trivial recurring habits that trigger hypersensitive reactions.

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Avoidance

When both partners choose to evade an issue, because it's trivial or unsolvable.

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Engagement

Issue is addressed and can lead to negotiation or escalation.

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Desensitization

Getting desensitized to adult conflict, and become used to it.

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Sensitization

Becoming more reactive to adult conflict.

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Infidelity

Violation of relationship's exclusivity agreement.

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Emotional Infidelity

More relationship energy towards someone else.

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Masturbating Alone

Emotional Infidelity

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Infidelity: Risk Factors

Low commitment, sexual disconnection, and poor communication.

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Sexual Infidelity

In aftermath of infidelity, it prompts anger.

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Emotional Infidelity

In aftermath of infidelity, it prompts hurt and sadness.

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Divorce satisfaction

Divorce and its impacts in life satisfaction.

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Risk Factors for Relationship Dissolution

What factors cause marital dissolution?

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After The Divorce

Emotionally progressing after a divorce.

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Accept Divorce

Emotionally progress after Divorce

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Types of divorcees

Styles of adjustment after divorce.

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Widows

Men and women who have lost a spouse (financial difficulties).

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Widowers

Men and women who have lost a spouse (social/emotional difficulties).

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Interpersonal gap

The intentions of the sender vs. the effect on the receiver.

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Nonverbal Communication

Facial expression, Eye gaze, & body posture.

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Interpersonal Distance

Intimate, Personal, Social, and Public Zone.

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Capitalization

Relies on partners sharing positive information (Partner A & Partner B)

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Accommodation

A process in which people refrain from responding to provocation from their partners

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Meaning

Intrapersonal, the victim tries to find an explanation for the transgression.

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Study Notes

Communication and Relationship Maintenance

Paralanguage

  • Strangers can discern when couples are talking or laughing together
  • Men usually initiate conversations with a lower pitch
  • Women tend to initiate conversations with a higher pitch

Nonverbal Sensitivity

  • Encoding or decoding issues can cause problems
  • Women generally demonstrate better encoding and decoding abilities
  • This involves sending and receiving nonverbal cues effectively
  • Noller's 1980 research indicated that husbands in unhappy marriages send more confusing messages
  • They also struggle more with decoding compared to husbands in happy marriages
  • Not detected in wives and husbands could not detect their faults
  • Noise and interferences affects the the senders intention and style

Empathy

  • Empathy can have both positive and negative effects on relationships
  • It's positive if a partner has positive thoughts and feelings
  • It's negative if a partner experiences negative thoughts and feelings
  • High empathic accuracy leads to high responsiveness providing there is high empathic concern

Intimacy Process Model (IPM)

  • Emotional intimacy develops and is maintained through a dynamic, interpersonal process
  • Reis and Shaver developed this model in 1988
  • The model emphasizes the importance of self-disclosure and partner responsiveness
  • Partner A initiates the interaction by sharing personal thoughts, feelings, or fears
  • The disclosure reflects partner A's motives, needs, goals, and fears
  • Partner B processes partner A's disclosure through their interpretive filter
  • This is influenced by partner B’s motives, needs, goals, and fears
  • Partner B's interpretation shapes their emotional and behavioral response to partner A
  • B's reaction, conveyed through verbal or nonverbal cues, can signal understanding, validation, or care
  • Effective responses are empathic and supportive, signaling that B understands and values A's feelings
  • Partner A interprets B's response through their own lens
  • A's interpretation determines whether A feels understood, validated, and cared for
  • Intimacy deepens if A perceives B's response as empathic and supportive
  • Conversely, intimacy diminishes if A feels misunderstood or invalidated
  • The process is cyclical, as the outcome of one interaction influences future disclosures and responses

Investment Model of Commitment

  • High commitment from a partner increases the likelihood of contributing to relationship maintenance
  • Sacrifice comes with willingness to compromise and sacrifice personal things to maintain the relationship
  • Accommodation involves a conscious effort to protect the partnership from harm by self-restraint
  • This helps avoid fights and dispel bad moods and requires not just letting others treat you how they want
  • You may say no to certain alternatives
  • Being single
  • People who others find attractive

Self-expansion Model

  • At the beginning of a relationship, it feels good due to it feeling temporary
  • It stems from the feeling of discovering many new things about a person
  • Maintaining self-expansion becomes difficult once people know each other well
  • Engaging in new and novel activities together fosters self-expansion

Five Love Languages

  • There is no confirmed correlation between love language alignment and relationship satisfaction
  • The five love languages are
    • Physical touch
    • Words of affirmation
    • Acts of service
    • Quality time
    • Gift giving
  • Gary Chapman is a counselor who developed the concept
  • It's helpful in viewing social support and receiving love
  • Some individuals are also believed to have dominant love languages
  • The scientific validity is questionable and it's difficult to replicate in studies

Forgiveness

  • Motivation on an interpersonal level is the want to be kind rather than feel anger and vengeance
  • Behaviour on an interpersonal level is the wronged partner communicates that they do not feel anger or vengeance
  • Motivation alone results in silent forgiveness
  • Behavior alone can result in hollow forgiveness that is only superficial
  • Forgiveness is more likely when:
    • The transgression was minor
    • The victim has empathy, agreeableness and a low level of neuroticism
    • The transgressor apologizes
    • The relationship has high commitment and satisfaction

Stressors and Resilience

  • Positive experiences can still cause stress
  • They can be stressful but positive nevertheless
  • They can help you cope in the future

Dialectics

  • Autonomy requires one to be able to do what they like but are driven to connection
  • Openness can change multiple times in a day
  • Stability is wanting to crave new experiences
  • Integration is wanting to do things together or apart
  • These dialectics count for 1/3 of conflicts particularly in married couples and likely continue indefinitely

General Model of Conflict (Beginnings)

  • Avoidance is when both partners choose to evade the issue
  • It's occurs when it is trivial or unsolvable and is best to be moved on from
  • Engagement is addressing the issue which then results in either escalation or negotiation
  • Negotiation is resolving conflict through rational problem solving

Conflict Escalation

  • Conflict has become heightened
  • Involves dysfunctional communication wither through direct or indirect means
  • Direct communication occurs when you accuse someone rather than work together
  • Can include putting people down or calling them names
  • Occurs when we escalate paralanguage
    • Being condescending and escalating
    • Making evasive remarks

Infidelity

  • It is more likely when:
  • There is a low commitment
  • General dissatisfaction
  • There is disconnection
  • Poor communication
  • One or more people has unrestricted sociosexuality

Relationship Endings

  • Easier to study if people are married
  • Committed relationships dont just end because partners are dissatisfied
  • Women are more likely to
    • Seek therapy
    • Initiate ending the relationship
  • Men are thermometers and see whats currently happening
  • Women are barometers and want to paint a bigger picture
  • However, men aren't oblivious to the bigger picture
  • Lesbian couples are very likely to divorce
  • First years are dangerous for marriages

Reasons for Dissolution

  • Infidelity is a common reason
  • Incompatibility
  • Drug use
  • Lack of communication
  • Abuse
  • Divorce is common in women with less education and living in low-income
  • Lower SES face challenges in finding marriage partners

Fagundes (2010): Brighter Side of Dark Cognitions

  • Includes individuals who did not initiate break ups
  • Found they had less negative implicit evaluation of their ex
  • This may result in more depression immediately after break up
  • Negative evaluations resulted in reduce depression and made themselves feel justified

Lucas (2007)

  • Marriage makes things satisfying
  • Widowhood results in a high baseline of life satisfaction
  • Things get lower before they get better

Divorce Risk Factors

  • Lesbians are the top candidates for experiencing divorce
  • Interracial relationships where there is minority status require high harmonizing value
  • Immigrants due to emphasis on family values which goes down lower the longer they stay

Widowhood

  • Results in declined life satisfaction
  • Unlike divorce as is completely involuntary
  • Widowers are at risk for financials while widowers are at risk for social problems
  • Loosening bonds and shifting day to day life marks the stages

Remarrying in Older Adults

  • Men remarry faster
  • Men who remarry tend to recover from the increased risk of health problems
  • Women tend to live longer and have a higher chance of getting health problems

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