Relationship Dynamics Chapter 13 Quiz

Relationship Dynamics

• Communication differences when breaking up vary little between same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
• Couples in cohabitation are more likely to break up, as cohabitation creates stronger commitments.

Marriage Statistics

• Approximately 64% of couples remain married for at least 10 years.
• The average marriage length in the US is 18 years.
• Men experience first divorce at an average age of 31.8, while women do so at 29.4.

Divorce Rates

• The US divorce rate is higher compared to Sweden, Canada, Mexico, France, and England.
• Decline in marital satisfaction noted over the past 25 years; fewer couples report being "very happy."

Divorce Causes

• High divorce rates attributed to increased expectations from marriage, greater financial independence for women, social mobility, and weakened commitment due to cohabitation.
• Children from divorced families are more likely to experience divorce themselves.

Vulnerability-Stress-Adaption Model

• Quality of marriage influenced by lasting vulnerabilities, adaptive processes, and stressors.
• Enduring vulnerabilities include maladaptive traits, poor educational background, and dysfunctional attitudes toward marriage.

PAIR Project Insights

• Three hypotheses on why couples divorce include:
  • Enduring Dynamics model focuses on incompatibilities present at marriage onset.
  • Emergent Distress highlights behaviors damaging marital satisfaction post-marriage.
  • Disillusionment points to unrealistic expectations undermining relationship stability.

Demographic Findings

• Divorce rates higher amongst Black couples associated with cohabitation, pre-marital children, and lower income.
• Cultural, personal, and relational contexts influence divorce perceptions and outcomes.

Duck's Relational Dissolution Model

• Intra-psychic Phase: Initial dissatisfaction and comparison of flaws.
• Dyadic Phase: Communication of issues and potential resolution attempts.
• Social Phase: Involvement of social support systems and consideration of alternatives.
• Grave-Dressing Phase: Emotional processing and narrative construction after breakup.
• Resurrection Phase: Re-entry into social life, often with a new perspective post-breakup.

Relationship Continuity and Recovery

• Churning refers to the cyclical nature of breakups and reconciliations, often linked to lower satisfaction.
• Same-sex couples tend to maintain better relationships with ex-partners compared to heterosexual couples.

Predictive Relationships of Divorce

• College students predominantly utilize indirect strategies for breaking up and often lack formal repair efforts.
• Individuals often overestimate initial distress post-breakup while accurately predicting recovery.

Attachment and Healing

• Individuals with insecure attachment styles struggle with letting go post-relationship.
• Monitoring an ex-partner on social media hinders healing processes.

Life Satisfaction After Divorce

• Most individuals experience long-term declines in happiness post-divorce but recover over time.
• Average remarrying timeline is within four years; women's socio-economic situations often decline while men's improve after divorce.

Post-Divorce Relationships and Support

• Ex-spouses typically fall into four categories: Fiery foes, Angry associates, Cooperative colleagues, and Perfect pals, with about 50% maintaining amicable relationships post-divorce.

Impact of Divorce on Children

• Parental conflict has the most detrimental impact on children compared to parental loss or economic hardship.
• Quality of parenting significantly affects children's outcomes; supportive environments foster better adjustment in children.
• Children exposed to angry vocalizations experience negative emotional responses, even in infancy.

Long-term Effects

• Negative outcomes stemming from divorce may diminish with time.