Relationships Formation Formation Who do we get together with? Who do we get together with? Maintenance Maintenance What keeps relationships going? What keeps relationships going? Breakdown Breakdown Why do relationships fail? Why do relationships fail?

Formation Proximity Proximity We are more likely to form a relationship with someone we live near, work with etc. We are more likely to form a relationship with someone we live near, work with etc. Familiarity Familiarity The more time we spend with someone, the more likely we will form a relationship The more time we spend with someone, the more likely we will form a relationship Similarity Similarity We tend to form relationships with people like us We tend to form relationships with people like us psychlotron.org.uk

Formation Similarity important because Similarity important because We like to share activities We like to share activities Facilitates communication Facilitates communication Economic theories Economic theories We want the best/more intelligent/most attractive partner We want the best/more intelligent/most attractive partner We also know our own ‘market value’, so we pitch our efforts at the ‘best possible’, rather than the most desirable We also know our own ‘market value’, so we pitch our efforts at the ‘best possible’, rather than the most desirable psychlotron.org.uk

Maintenance Social psychological theories dominated by economic view Social psychological theories dominated by economic view Relationships seen as being based on exchange of ‘goods’ Relationships seen as being based on exchange of ‘goods’ psychlotron.org.uk

Maintenance Social Exchange Theory (Thibaut & Kelly) Social Exchange Theory (Thibaut & Kelly) Relationship satisfaction = ‘profit’ i.e. getting more out than you put in Relationship satisfaction = ‘profit’ i.e. getting more out than you put in Sampling Sampling Bargaining Bargaining Commitment Commitment Institutionalisation Institutionalisation Equity Theory (Walster) Equity Theory (Walster) Relationship satisfaction = ‘equity’ i.e. fairness, balancing ‘income’ with ‘expenditure’ Relationship satisfaction = ‘equity’ i.e. fairness, balancing ‘income’ with ‘expenditure’ psychlotron.org.uk

Other Approaches Learning theory Learning theory Relationships based on reinforcement Relationships based on reinforcement Cognitive Cognitive Relationships based on understanding, predictability & avoiding dissonance Relationships based on understanding, predictability & avoiding dissonance Evolutionary Evolutionary Relationships based on need to pass on genes; balance between producing many offspring (male) and securing investment of resources (female) Relationships based on need to pass on genes; balance between producing many offspring (male) and securing investment of resources (female) psychlotron.org.uk

Breakdown Economic view Economic view Mismatch between investment and return Mismatch between investment and return Better option appears elsewhere Better option appears elsewhere Learning view Learning view Lack of positive reinforcement Lack of positive reinforcement Negative stimuli (boredom, conflict etc.) Negative stimuli (boredom, conflict etc.) psychlotron.org.uk

Breakdown Cognitive view Cognitive view Imbalance due to inconsistent attitudes (e.g. why s/he still friendly with ex?) Imbalance due to inconsistent attitudes (e.g. why s/he still friendly with ex?) Evolutionary Evolutionary Lots of advantages for infidelity; relationships break down when you get caught Lots of advantages for infidelity; relationships break down when you get caught psychlotron.org.uk

Breakdown Risk factors (Duck, 1992) Risk factors (Duck, 1992) Young when got married Young when got married Lower SES & education Lower SES & education Different demographic backgrounds Different demographic backgrounds Parental divorce Parental divorce Dissatisfaction  confrontation  negotiation  ‘grave-dressing’ Dissatisfaction  confrontation  negotiation  ‘grave-dressing’ psychlotron.org.uk