Summary Relationships notes for AQA A level Psychology
3 views 0 purchase
Course
Relationships
Institution
AQA
Notes for all spec points of AQA A Level Psychology - Relationships topic. It involves key definitions, research, and AO3 evaluation points. Very detailed so you don't need to memorise all information but provides good insight.
Evolutionary explanations
partner preferences - relationship between sexual selection & human reproductive behaviours
Sexual selection
Explains why certain disadvantageous characteristics (evolutionary) are still passed on
↳ these characteristics may be advantageous for sexual selection - determines which genes are
passed onto offspring
↳ EG: males who behave aggressively - to protect their female from competing males
↳ EG: females with characteristic traits of fertility (narrow waist and large hips)
There are 2 types:
1. Intrasexual - members of one sex (usually males) compete with each other for access to
members of the opposite sex
↳ victors can mate & pass on their genes - losers do not
↳ traits that lead to success in will be passed onto the next generation
↳ female is passive
2. Intersexual - the preference of one sex for members of the opposite sex that have certain
ideal qualities
↳ EG: if females prefer tall males - the average height of the population would increase
↳ the preference of one sex determines the areas in which the other sex must compete
↳ female is active
Reproductive strategies
Males and females have different reproductive strategies - anisogamy/ asymmetry
Males Females
Can fertilise many females with little cost to Fewer & less frequent production of gametes
reproductive potential than males
Cant be sure of paternity - natural selection Time limit of gamete production (monthly)
focuses on maximum pregnancies
Polygamy - one male with multiple females Careful mate selection leading to monogamy &
high parental investment
Intrasexual competition - males compete for Intersexual competition - females chose from
female attention available males
,Eval (AO3)
Buss (1989)
↳ explored what males & females look for in a long term partner (marriage)
↳ over 10,000 participants in 37 cultures
Women desired males with good financial prospects
↳ evolutionary approach - preference for resources
Men were attracted to younger & attractive mates
↳ evolutionary approach - sign of fertility (good health)
Suggests partner preference is universal - regardless of culture
Research has alpha bias - Clark & Hatfield (1989)
↳ female choosiness is a reality of heterosexual relationships
Asked university students (university campus) “will you go to bed with me tonight?”
↳ no women agreed
↳ 75% men agreed
Supports idea that there are gender differences in sexual selection
↳ similarities aren’t often recorded - research focus on differences
Suffer from evolutionary reductionism
↳ argue that strategies for choosing a mate are due to genetic inheritance & reproductive success
BUT this isn’t the case in real life - individual differences must be considered
EG - evolutionary explanations don’t account for homosexual relationships that are not formed on
the basis of reproduction - there is no evolutionary advantage
Factors affecting attraction
self disclosure, physical attractiveness, & filter theory
Self disclosure
= revealing personal information to another person that may not be shared with others
↳ thoughts, feelings & experiences
SD allows for a partner to reveal their ‘true self’ - increasing intimacy & attraction
Altman & Taylor (1973) - Social Penetration Theory
↳ gradually revealing information about emotions & experiences to a partner - followed by
listening to reciprocal SD from them allows partners to develop deeper trust
● Uses an ‘onion metaphor’ to describe SD
1. Breadth - general topics/info about yourself
↳ hobbies & interests
, 2. Depth - more personal info revealed later on (off limits at the start)
↳ religious/political beliefs & difficult experiences
Reis & Shaver (1988)
↳ reciprocity is a feature of successful SD
There must be a balance of SD for a relationship to be successful & develop further
↳ both partners should share what really matters to them (reciprocal) - leads to greater intimacy &
relationship satisfaction
Eval (AO3)
Support - Laurenceau (2005)
↳ participants told to write diary entry of relationship
SD & perception of disclosure in a partner led to greater intimacy
↳ reverse true = relationships with a lack of intimacy had a lack of SD
Supports positive effect of SD on intimacy & attraction in relationships
Culture bias (SPT)
↳ SPT developed due to research in western individualist cultures
↳ doesn’t apply to collectivist cultures
Tang et al
Men & women in the USA disclosed more sexual thoughts/feelings to partners than in China
BUT level of relationship satisfaction was high in both cultures
↳ SD isn’t a requirement for successful relationships in all cultures
= type of SD varies depending on culture
Nomothetic approach (SPT)
↳ claims that high SD will lead to great relationship satisfaction
↳ can’t explain all relationship types
↳ ignores the other factors that can influence relationships (culture/personality)
EG: ignores physical attractiveness
↳ Halo effect (Dion 1972) & Matching Hypothesis (Walster 1969)
EG: ignores similarity of attitudes
↳ Filter theory (Kerkhoff & Davis 1962)
= research into romantic relationships should take an idiographic approach
↳ studies all couples’ unique experiences
Real life applications
↳ couples counselling
EG: Less skilled partners (limited communication skills) encouraged to focus on developing SD to
develop intimacy & improve satisfaction/connection to others
The success of couples counselling increases the validity of the SPT to explain factors affecting
attraction in romantic relationships
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller rani786b. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $12.37. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
