The document summarizes several theories about the formation, maintenance, and breakdown of romantic relationships:
1. Clore and Byrne's reinforcement affect model suggests that people form relationships with those who reward them positively, and they develop affections for those associated with rewarding experiences.
2. Argyle's reward/need satisfaction theory proposes that people form relationships to fulfill basic needs like biological needs, dependency, affiliation, and self-esteem.
3. Social exchange theory views relationships as an exchange of rewards between partners, and people aim to maximize rewards and minimize costs to receive satisfaction from the relationship.
1. Formation of...... Theories of formation, maintenance and breakdown of human romantic relationships. A Students Guide Psychology Ex-L. Catherine Rose Riley. 12VICN
9. Maintenance of romantic relationships Relationships are maintained through strategies that couples develop. Rusburt et al 1986 suggested that there are four strategies that can be combined. Active or passive, constructive or destructive e.g. Loyalty = passive, constructive strategy where a partner waits for the situation to improve. Evaluation: This is a more recent approach, looking at the interaction between partners, rather than an individual perspective. It is more qualitative approach than social exchange theory. The maintenance of relationships can be explained more simply in daily routines
10. Breakdown of romantic relationships Duck – Stage model of relational dissolution Duck described breakdown in five stages. Breakdown- dissatisfaction leads to breaking point Intra-psychic phase- thinking about the relationship at first in private, then with confidants, and finally with partner. Repair strategy: re-establish liking for partner. Dyadic stage- deciding whether to break up or repair. Repair strategy: express conflicts, clear the air and reformulate rules for future relationship. Social phase- including others in debate, enlisting support for your side. Repair strategy: outsiders may help to patch things up or encourage separation. Grave dressing phase- post mortem for public or private re-adjustment. Repair strategy: decide on mutually acceptable version of events, and/or savage friendship out of the breakup.
11. Breakdown of romantic relationships Evaluation of Duck’s stage model of relational dissolution Strength = The inclusion of repair strategies. Useful for marriage guidance to identify the stage of dissolution reached, and strategies appropriate to that stage. Duck focused on the process that take place after breakdown and focused less on early events. Stage models so not explain why breakdown occurs, they are descriptive.
12. Breakdown of romantic relationships Duck- Risk factors Duck suggested that breakdown can be explained in terms of risk factors. Predisposing personal factors- dispositional =distasteful personal habits, change in interests, poor role models , dissonance on poor social skills. Precipitating factors- situational= deception, boredom, relocation, conflict, or a better alternative. Evaluation These factors offer an explanation for dissolution. Many relationships are stable despite the presence of such factors. Some factors are intervening variables e.g. Lower educational levels may be associated with divorce, but may not be the cause.
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