A2 Psychology

A2 Psychology Notes

[a2psychology]

Relationships - Theories of the Breakdown of Relationships

Reasons WHY relationships breakdown - Duck 1999

Duck considered findings from longitudinal studies, identified several factors making relationship more fragile and liable to breakdown

1. Maintenance Difficulties - relationship strained/cannot maintain close personal contact e.g. when partner moves for work/university. Responsible for dissolution, although some relationships strong enough to survive pressures of decreased daily contact. 

2. Lack of skills - lacking interpersonal skills & cannot mutually satisfy. those lacking social skills; poor communication of interest.

3. Lack of stimulation - boredom/belief relationship not going anywhere often cited for cause of breakdown. people expect relationship to develop. if not seen, justification for ending the relationship

Evaluation

Research to support lack of skills/stimulation leading to breakdown. Boekhout - showed extra-relational affairs could link to lack of skills/stimulation. participants rated men more likely for affair because of sexual excitement/boredom and variety. women rated likely because of lack of attention/commitment/satisfaction. 

Research against lack of proximity leading to breakdown. Long distance relationships more common than realised. 70% of students sampled experienced at lease one LDRR. Fact people move means useful to understand management strategies people use. Holt and Stone found little decrease in dissatisfaction as long as lovers reunite regularly. lack of proximity too simplistic for breakdown

Alternative Explanations - Fatal Attraction Theory. provides explanation on interpretation of factors initially attractive. Felmlee - behaviours initially appealing become exaggerated traits which are dissatisfying. e.g. "being amusing" may later be "annoying" or "not serious". occurs most in young people.  

Cultural Bias - Non-Western relationships may have formed differently with different pressures in dissolution e.g. arranged marriages, entire families and communities involved in breakup with factors like honour and family reputation. 

[a2psychology]

Relationships - relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours

Short Term and Long Term Mating Preferences Evaluation Summaries

[a2psychology]

Relationships - relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours

Short Term and Long Term Mating Preferences

Short Term Mating

Men evolved to desire sex early in relationship to raise probability of reproductive success, the more females mate with, the greater chances to father children. if men wait, this probability decreases. Women not subjected to this pressure as they do not need to rush unless they are late in their reproductive cycle.

Long Term Mating

Both sexes invest heavily in offspring therefore will be high levels of choosiness however, females would be more choosy due to high biological investment 

Evaluation

Research evidence to support idea of male short term mating preferences. Clarke and Hatfields- university students. 75% males said yes to sex with strange female compared to 0% females saying yes.

Research evidence to support universal nature of long term mate preference. Buss- 10,000 participants from 37 cultures. men value fertility and physical attractiveness in women. women value males finance and resources. both sexes want intelligent, kind and dependable mates. but argued lack of internal validity measured preference but not choice however results supported by marriages over 29 cultures. 

Gender Bias- lacks external validity. suggests only males benefit from short term. men cannot evolve desire of sexual variety without willing female. Grieling and Buss- potential costs for female, benefits present too e.g. short term mating gives opportunity to leave poor relationship if no prospect for long term security. lacks population and historical female validity. 

Free Will vs. Determinism. theory suggests highly predictable human reproductive behaviour and deterministic. doesnt reflect real-life in modern times. last 100 years, reproductive behaviour changed dramatically. increase in homosexuality, contraception and couples without kids. implies there is free will (control). 

[a2psychology]

Relationships - Relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours 

Mate Selection Evaluation 

Research Support Summaries 

[a2psychology]

Relationships - Relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours

Mate Selection Evaluation Summary

[a2psychology]

Relationships - Relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours

Mate Selection

Men have evolved to respond to young, attractive females because these characteristics are linked to reproductive value whereas women respond to males who advertise security and resources as it displays the ability to protect the offspring until reaches maturity. 

Intra-sexual selection (mate competition) is where members of the same sex compete against each other. this is seen in physical and psychological manners. the winners mate and the losers don't. preferred characteristics and behaviours are passed down generations e.g. strong, attractive males intimidate others when obtaining a mate. 

Inter-sexual selection (mate choice) is preference for opposite sex for qualities they possess e.g. if tall males are preferred, through time, an increase in tall males to population. Preference one sex highlights is an area the other sex must compete e.g. if women prefer males' financial security and men prefer young, attractive females, this is where they must compete with others; males to have more resources and women to advertise youth and physical attractiveness. 

It is argued humans are pre-programmed to spot/respond to these traits and therefore increasing willingness to mate with individual possessing them.

Evaluation

Research evidence to support human reproductive behaviour and sexual selection in personal ads. Wanforth and Dunbar: 40% males seek young, physically attractive partners compared to 20% females  for same traits. Men and women possessing characteristics aiding reproduction are more likely to advertise them i.e. physical attractiveness & resources. people who dont possess these traits, focus on social characteristics to compensate (Dawson and Macintosh) 

Research evidence to support importance of fertility in sexual selection. in animal kingdom, females advertise when they are most fertile but in humans, oestrus is hidden, however research argues women at most fertile point are most attractive to males. Miller- lap dancers earned twice as much during oestrus phase of menstrual cycle.  

Research evidence to support male preferences to most fertile women. Buss- 37 cultures, clear preference by males to youthfulness and fertility. some critics say it is social power; younger women easier to control. Kendrick - teenage boys prefer women five years older than them, despite no interest from women. suggests only most healthy and fertile women. 

Methodology. research is questionable. self-report. effected by reconstructive nature of memory and social desirability bias. emotive topic of social connotations. findings not as objective as from lab experiment. with ethical issues of offence. 

Nature vs. Nurture. powerful environment and cognitive influences not considered. cannot explain emotional experiences or when does not fit evolutionary survival of the fittest i.e. young man with older woman. too deterministic and more complex.