The “Bridge” Study Misattribution of Emotional Arousal Tilted, swayed (6 ft.), wobbled Low handrails (3 feet) 230 foot drop to rocks and rapids

Procedure and Results? versus

Results

Shortcoming of First Study? Results of 1 st study confirmed: TAT Scores: Exp. Group – Control Group – 1.92 Called Back: Exp. Group –--- 13/20 Control Group – 9/20

Grater attraction ratings when subjects expected receiving a strong vs. weak shock TAT scores were significantly higher when both the male and female were expecting the strong shock

Perceived Costs Comparison Level Comparison Level for Alternatives Loss of freedom, $, time, effort, annoying habits, etc. What we expect the outcomes of a relationship to be in terms of costs and rewards (e.g., a standard) Expectations about the level of rewards (benefits) and punishments (costs) they would receive in an alternative relationship Social Exchange Theory [We “buy” the best relationship we can get, one that gives us the best value for our emotional dollar – From Aronson et al. Social Psychology, 2010, p. 299] Outcome (Rewards minus Costs) When outcomes (rewards – costs) match one’s comparison level, satisfaction and commitment are higher – Alternatives are viewed as less desirable Perceived Rewards Companionship, sexual fulfillment, status, greater income, friendships, etc.

Budget Study --- Procedure and Results?

Study 2 Procedure and Results?

Men Women High BudgetLow Budget Physical attractiveness Social status Physical attractiveness Social status % Monet spent Gender Differences in Mate Preferences

Relationship-Enhancing and Distress-Maintaining Attributions Positive Event Relationship-Enhancing Attribution Distress-Maintaining Attribution My partner takes me out to an expensive dinner My partner is sweet and thoughtful My partner took me out to write the cost off on taxes Internal, stable, global Negative Event My partner forgot my birthday External, unstable, specific Something unexpected must have come up External, unstable, specific My partner is always uncaring and selfish Internal, stable, global

Misattributions of Friendly Behavior Routine Conversation Female Male Observers Female Male Viewed female as promiscuous; were attracted to the female; saw themselves as flirtatious and seductive Viewed males as behaving in a sexual manner; females as promiscuous Sexual lens Interaction

Long-Term Relationships

Years of marriage Ratings of marital quality WifeHusband Marital Satisfaction over Time In a longitudinal study that spanned ten years, married couples rated the quality of their marriages. On average, these ratings were high, but they declined among both husbands and wives. As you can see, there were two steep drops, occurring during the first and eighth years of marriage. (Kurdek, 1999.)

Health & Longevity Low High Marriage, Health and Longevity MenWomen Happily married Unhappily married Unmarried

Years of marriage Love marriages Arranged marriages “No man or woman really knows what love is until they have been married a quarter of a century.” --- Mark Twain

Changes in Life Satisfaction Before and After Divorce In this study, 817 men and women who were divorced at some point rated how satisfied they were with life on a scale of 0 to 10 every year for eighteen years. Overall, divorcees were less satisfied than their married counterparts-a common result. On the question of whether time heals the wound, you can see that satisfaction levels dipped before divorce, rebounded afterward, but did not return to original levels. It appears that people adapt but do not fully recover from this experience. (Lucas, 2005.) Life Satisfaction Ratings Years Before and After Divorce Divorce

Relationship Conflict --- Some Issues Jealousy --- Men Sexual infidelity (60%) Women Emotional infidelity (83%) Communication --- Demand-withdraw interaction pattern (Females wish to discuss problems, men avoid/withdraw from such discussions) Sex Children Money Different expectations

Interpersonal Relationships (Dynamic Approach) Relationships Individual subjective reactions to cues in an interaction Active search/detection process for cues Timing and sequencing of cues (e.g., baking a cake example)

Thoughts about interpersonal interactions Evaluation of interaction as good, average, poor Future possibilities Strategies Narratives/stories about relationships Who is told? When they are told? What is said? Why they are told? Difference in perceptions; memory for facts Interpersonal Relationship