Deck 9: Forming and Maintaining Personal Relationships

Question 1

Most relationships have some measure of interdependence; what differentiates them is their degree of interdependence.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a relational maintenance behavior?

A) social networks
B) openness
C) predictability
D) assurances

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The experimenting stage of relationship development occurs when people meet and interact for the first time.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Which term refers to the practice of using false information, including stolen or edited photographs, to create a fake online persona?

A) ghosting
B) orbiting
C) catfishing
D) forecasting

Question 5

Uncertainty reduction theory suggests that people get to know each other if they believe the effort will be worth it.

Question 6

Other things being equal, we are more likely to form social relationships with people we see often than with people we don't.

Question 7

Most couples tend to progress through the stages of coming together in the same way.

Question 8

According to equity theory, it is better to be equally benefited than to be over-benefited.

Question 9

According to the need to belong, we need relationships that are both emotionally close and interactive.

Question 10

When it comes to forming friendships, similarity is good and complementarity is bad.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about potential health benefits of relationships is true, according to the text?

A) People with more social contacts put themselves at greater risk for illnesses like a cold.
B) People with strong social networks are more than twice as likely to survive a heart attack.
C) A lack of social relationships increases the risk of mortality, but not on the same level as smoking, heart disease, or obesity.
D) When friends share their problems with us, this behavior increases our stress and can actually make us less healthy.

Question 12

Which theory says that each of us is born with a fundamental drive to seek, form, maintain, and protect strong social relationships?

A) equity theory
B) need to belong theory
C) attraction theory
D) predicted outcome value theory

Question 13

Smoking cigarettes is worse for your health than not having close friendships.

Question 14

Dialectical tensions are rare in most intimate relationships.

Question 15

________ is the desire to stay in a relationship no matter what happens.

A) Investment
B) Passion
C) Commitment
D) Intimacy

Question 16

What reflects the resources we put into a relationship?

A) interdependence
B) investment
C) commitment
D) independence

Question 17

Research finds that assurances and task-sharing do not appear to enhance online relationships.

Question 18

Friendships and other social relationships often involve which type of rewards?

A) emotional
B) material
C) health
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 19

A good relationship does not involve any sort of cost to you.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a close relationship?

A) need for deep commitment
B) focus on independence
C) dialectical tensions
D) continuous investment

Question 21

When you meet Carrie, you are drawn to her as a friend because she is an excellent piano player, just like you are. This is an example of which form of attraction?

A) social attraction
B) physical attraction
C) competence attraction
D) task attraction

Question 22

Which of the following statements about similarity is false?

A) Forming relationships with people unlike ourselves is more interesting and enjoyable.
B) Forming relationships with people like ourselves is socially validating.
C) Genetically, we are inclined to help people who are similar to ourselves.
D) Spending time with people like ourselves makes us feel better about ourselves.

Question 23

Jordan wants to feel emotionally close to his girlfriend, but he also wants to make his own decisions. Which dialectical tension is he experiencing?

A) openness-closedness
B) revelation-concealment
C) novelty-predictability
D) autonomy-connectedness

Question 24

Define and give concrete examples of emotional commitment, social commitment, and legal commitment in a close relationship.

Question 25

Discuss the differences between Berger and Calabrese's uncertainty reduction theory and Sunnafrank's predicted outcome value theory.

Question 26

When we experience any form of attraction for someone else, we are likely to engage in ________ behaviors, which signal our interest in another person.

A) liking
B) attraction
C) approach
D) initiation

Question 27

This theory predicts, perhaps incorrectly, that the more we learn about someone, the more we like that person.

A) social exchange theory
B) uncertainty reduction theory
C) attraction theory
D) equity theory

Question 28

Define and give concrete examples of the emotional, material, and health rewards of strong social relationships.

Question 29

________ attraction is the force that draws people together to form relationships.

A) Physical
B) Psychic
C) Task
D) Interpersonal

Question 30

Compare and contrast the concepts of comparison level and comparison level for alternatives, using examples for each.

Question 31

What term refers to your realistic expectation of what you think you deserve from a relationship?

A) comparison level for alternatives
B) comparison level
C) complementarity assessment
D) predicted outcome value

Question 32

People use many strategies for dealing with dialectical tensions. Going back and forth between the two sides of a tension is a characteristic of which strategy?

A) segmentation
B) integration
C) balance
D) alternation

Question 33

During which of Knapp's stages of relationship termination do couples decrease both the quality and frequency of their interactions?

A) differentiation
B) termination
C) circumscribing
D) stagnating

Question 34

Elizabeth and Aaron had been married for six months when Elizabeth started to feel dissatisfied in their relationship. Although Aaron was a nice person and fun to be around, he didn't do any of the cooking or cleaning, despite the fact that both of them worked full-time. Elizabeth's dissatisfaction was likely due to the fact that

A) Aaron exhibited a lack of commitment in his behavior.
B) Elizabeth expected an equitable investment in household chores from Aaron.
C) Aaron was enjoying too much interdependence in their relationship.
D) Elizabeth was conflicted by her own dialectical tensions between work and home.

Question 35

At which stage of relationship formation has a deep commitment has formed and there is a strong sense that the relationship has its own identity?

A) bonding
B) integrating
C) intensifying
D) initiating

Question 36

When forming online relationships, which of the following strategies reduces uncertainty the most?

A) passive
B) active
C) interactive
D) integrative

Question 37

Give brief examples of each of Knapp's five stages of relationship formation.

Question 38

Identify and briefly define each of the five relational maintenance behaviors described by Stafford and Canary.

Question 39

Janice and Stephanie have been close friends for some time. When Stephanie recently lost her job, she couldn't afford her rent anymore and was on the verge of homelessness. Janice invited her to stay in her guest room for as long as needed. While there, Stephanie does some of the cooking for Janice and herself. According to equity theory, which of the following statements about this relationship scenario is true?

A) Stephanie is currently over-benefited in their relationship.
B) Stephanie is investing less in their relationship than is Janice right now.
C) This relationship will probably survive a period of brief inequity as long as long-term equity is maintained.
D) All of these statements are true.

Question 40

Give brief examples of each of Knapp's five stages of relationship termination.

Question 41

Much is made of the benefits of friendship, but suppose you were asked to argue against having friends. Using what you've learned in this chapter, make a reasoned argument against friendship. Why should people avoid making friends? Your argument should be sound and should make explicit reference to concepts covered in this chapter.

Question 42

Your text identifies four specific factors that drive interpersonal attraction: appearance, proximity, similarity, and complementarity. Define each of these terms and discuss their importance in the process of interpersonal attraction. Next, identify one of these factors as the single most important in the process of attraction. Make an argument for this factor and against the others in the context of both friendship and romantic relationships.

Question 43

Pick a friend of yours with whom you've had a relationship for at least three months. Identify this friend and provide a brief description of your relationship. Next, evaluate your relationship in terms of social exchange theory. Make sure to include as many parts of the theory as you can.

Question 44

What are dialectical tensions in relationships? List, define, and provide an example of the three most common dialectics that emerge in relationships. Of the three, which one do you feel is most important in a new romantic relationship? Justify your choice.

Question 45

People often stay in relationships that are unsatisfying or even harmful. Use the ideas of social exchange theory and equity theory to explain why this might happen. Next, talk about ways that friends and family members might be able to persuade their loved ones to abandon these detrimental relationships.