Deck 9: Personal Relationships

Question 1

An essential feature of any relationship is that two people have influence over each other, or that they are

A) communal
B) interdependent
C) intimate
D) committed

Answer 1

interdependent

Question 2

Interdependence theory analyzes patterns of interaction between partners in terms of

A) the partners' perceptions of the fairness of the interactions
B) the perceived intimacy of the interactions
C) the rewards and costs that partners give and receive
D) the amount of control that partners exercise over each other

Answer 2

the rewards and costs that partners give and receive

Question 3

What is a characteristic of close relationships?

A) they involve frequent interaction that occurs over a long period of time
B) the interactions include many different types of activities or events
C) the influence between people is strong
D) all of the above

Answer 3

all of the above

Question 4

The most influential perspective on social relationships is provided by various _____ theories.

A) cognitive dissonance
B) cognitive consistency
C) learning
D) social exchange

Question 5

Foa and Foa have identified six basic types of rewards of social interaction that they classify along two dimensions: concreteness and

A) particularism
B) generality
C) generalism
D) abstraction

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT one of the six basic types of rewards of social interaction that have been identified by Foa and Foa?

A) money
B) sexual gratification
C) status
D) services

Question 7

When asked about the rewards and costs they experienced in a romantic relationship, women expressed greater concern than men about

A) investments of time and energy in the relationship
B) monetary costs
C) being dependent on a partner
D) all of the above

Question 8

Your roommate announces that she is dumping her current boyfriend because "He is getting more out of our relationship than I am!"Her reaction supports the basic principles of

A) interdependence theory
B) the norm of reciprocity
C) the mutuality hypothesis
D) social penetration theory

Question 9

Comparison level for alternatives refers to

A) the number of potential alternative relationship partners that are available
B) the assessment of how one's relationship compares to other relationships
Currently available
C) the quality of outcomes a person deserves in a relationship
D) the feeling that the rewards and costs are fairly distributed across partners

Question 10

A person whose comparison level is low and whose costs exceed the rewards of a relationship will likely feel

A) highly committed
B) unsatisfied
C) depressed
D) inequity

Question 11

Bill and Sarah like to do many of the same things, like dancing, reading, and mountain climbing. An interdependence theorist would say that they have

A) high commitment
B) equity
C) intimacy
D) correspondent outcomes

Question 12

Two new roommates sit down to negotiate who will be in charge of cooking, cleaning, and paying the bills. They are engaging in

A) role-taking
B) role-making
C) a communal relationship
D) a non-reciprocal relationship

Question 13

The offshoot of social exchange theory that focuses on fairness in relationships is known as

A) dissonance theory
B) balance theory
C) equity theory
D) the harmony principle

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT an assumption of equity theory?

A) People in relationships try to maximize their outcomes.
B) People in inequitable relationships feel distress.
C) People will evaluate the fairness of their outcomes compared to those of other potential relationships.
D) Individuals in inequitable relationships will take steps to restore equity.

Question 15

Which person in an unequitable relationship is likely to feel distressed?

A) the underbenefited partner
B) the overbenefited partner
C) both the underbenefited and the overbenefited partner
D) neither partner will feel distress until the relationship is ended

Question 16

Research has generally found that equity is less important to happiness than

A) commitment
B) rewards
C) costs
D) investments

Question 17

Clark and Mills have distinguished between what they call communal relationships and _____ relationships.

A) exchange
B) particularistic
C) individualistic
D) concrete

Question 18

Tammy's friend waters her plants while she is away on vacation. Upon returning, Tammy quickly offers to take care of her friend's cat while she is gone. According to Clark and Mills, Tammy and her friend have a(n)

A) committed relationship
B) reciprocal relationship
C) communal relationship
D) exchange relationship

Question 19

The special type of conversation in which we share intimate information and feelings with another person is known as

A) self-aggrandizement
B) self-serving talk
C) self-disclosure
D) self-revelation

Question 20

We tend to like people most when self-disclosure is

A) very intimate
B) limited
C) reciprocal
D) immediate

Question 21

Kelly is introduced to Caroline for the first time, and Kelly immediately begins to reveal to Caroline the intimate details of her relationship with her boyfriend. According to research, Caroline is likely to feel

A) pressure to reciprocate
B) that Kelly is breaking a social norm
C) somewhat negatively toward Kelly
D) all of the above

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT a hazard of self-disclosure?

A) indifference
B) rejection
C) reactance
D) betrayal

Question 23

A person who is trying to make new friends should

A) always self-disclose at high levels
B) withhold most personal information
C) self-disclose immediately and then withdraw
D) self-disclose, but consider the possible risks

Question 24

Cross-cultural studies of self-disclosure show that

A) people in collectivist cultures reveal significantly more than in individualistic cultures
B) people in collectivist cultures reveal equally to close friends and distant companions
C) people in collectivist cultures almost never self-disclose
D) people in collectivist cultures self-disclose less than those in individualistic cultures

Question 25

Studies of self-disclosure in love marriages and arranged marriages in different cultures indicate that

A) higher satisfaction is associated with more disclosure among U.S. couples
B) Indian couples in arranged marriages self-disclose the most
C) Indian couples in love marriages showed no association between satisfaction and disclosure
D) all of the above

Question 26

__________ friends show a preference for talking, and __________ friends show a greater interest in shared activities.

A) Men; women
B) Equitable; communal
C) Women; men
D) Communal; equitable

Question 27

The gender difference in self-disclosure is greatest in

A) committed relationships
B) same-sex relationships
C) opposite-sex relationships
D) communal relationships

Question 28

Studies of self-disclosure suggest that

A) women are more likely than men to discuss their strengths with each other
B) men in Hong Kong and Jordan disclose more with each other than men in the
United States
C) self-disclosure is unrelated to marital satisfaction
D) surprisingly, people disclose more to their acquaintances than to their closest companions

Question 29

Reis and colleagues have proposed a model of the way ________ is created in the interaction of two people.

A) commitment
B) equity
C) reciprocity
D) intimacy

Question 30

Research on the association between self-disclosure and intimacy suggests that

A) self-disclosure is only one component of intimacy
B) self-disclosure by itself creates intimacy
C) self-disclosure and intimacy are unrelated
D) none of the above

Question 31

________ refers to a person's ability to influence deliberately the behavior, thoughts, or feelings of another person.

A) Perceived control
B) Compliance ability
C) Social power
D) Social penetration

Question 32

In a recent survey of 3,000 married couples, approximately _____ percent said that the balance of power in their relationship was equal.

A) 5
B) 25
C) 64
D) 95

Question 33

Research on power in close relationships shows that

A) most couples report that the balance of power in their marriages is approximately equal
B) African American marriages are more likely to be female-dominated than Mexican American and Anglo marriages
C) resources such as money and education are unrelated to the balance of power
D) female-dominant couples report the highest relationship satisfaction

Question 34

Research has ________ the belief that Mexican American marriages are male-dominated.

A) validated
B) not supported
C) not tested
D) provided mixed support for

Question 35

What determines whether a relationship is equal in power?

A) social norms
B) relative resources
C) principle of least interest
D) all of the above

Question 36

Which person in a relationship is likely to have the most power?

A) the person who is most physically attractive
B) the person with the better job
C) the person who is most committed to the relationship
D) all of the above

Question 37

You observe that your new roommate is totally dominated by his girlfriend, simply because he is more attracted to her than she is to him. You say to yourself, "I guess _____ must be right."

A) Valerian Derlega
B) Dolores Mack
C) Willard Waller
D) Reis and Shaver

Question 38

The potential for conflict increases as two people become more

A) educated
B) committed
C) interdependent
D) independent

Question 39

In a recent survey, _____ of the married people polled reported having "unpleasant disagreements"With their spouse at least occasionally.

A) a few
B) almost half
C) about two-thirds
D) almost all

Question 40

According to a recent survey, married people average about _____ "unpleasant disagreements"With their spouse each month.

A) 1-2
B) 3-5
C) 6-10
D) 11 or more

Question 41

Braiker and Kelley identified three categories of conflict problems. They include all of the following EXCEPT

A) dispositions
B) cognitive
C) norms
D) behaviors

Question 42

All of the forces, positive or negative, acting to keep an individual in a relationship are known as

A) commitment
B) exemplars
C) satisfaction
D) balancers

Question 43

In many relationships, there is ________ association between satisfaction and commitment.

A) no
B) a weak
C) a moderate
D) a strong

Question 44

According to interdependence theory, satisfaction in a relationship depends on

A) commitment and costs
B) comparison level and comparison level for alternatives
C) outcomes and comparison level
D) rewards and commitment

Question 45

Commitment is affected by both

A) investments and costs
B) rewards and satisfaction
C) alternative and rewards
D) alternatives and investments

Question 46

Heaton and Albrecht found that _____ % of married people were relatively unhappy in their marriage but expected to stay together nonetheless.

A) 19
B) 50
C) 7
D) 63

Question 47

Studies of satisfaction among gay and lesbian couples show

A) that lesbian couples are happier than gay or straight couples
B) that straight couples are happier than gay and lesbian couples
C) that straight and lesbian couples are happier than gay couples
D) no differences among straight, gay, and lesbian couples

Question 48

Researchers have shown that when asked about the likelihood that they will be divorced,

A) people underestimate their own risk of divorce
B) people underestimate the overall divorce rate
C) people look to see how many of their friends and family members have been divorced
D) all of the above

Question 49

Research on positive illusions in relationships shows that

A) these illusions are found primarily in the United States
B) having positive illusions predicts more satisfying and longer-lasting relationships
C) people's predictions about the longevity of their relationships are usually more accurate than the predictions of their friends and family
D) people underestimate their risk of divorce but are realistic in their predictions of their future relationship satisfaction

Question 50

Sprecher (1998) conducted a study of dating couples and found that couples whose relationships endured over four years remembered their love as increasing over those years. They also found that

A) reports of love actually did increase over the years
B) reports of love actually decreased over the years
C) reports of love did not change over the years
D) none of the above

Question 51

Happy couples tend to make ________ attributions.

A) global
B) undifferentiated
C) self-improving
D) relationship-enhancing

Question 52

David and Joy are in an unhappy relationship. When David takes Joy out for dinner, Joy is likely to make a(n) ________ attribution for his behavior.

A) internal
B) unstable
C) global
D) uncontrollable

Question 53

Compared to distressed couples, people in happy relationships are

A) more committed
B) less control oriented
C) less likely to make global attributions for positive events
D) less likely to reciprocate negative behavior

Question 54

The common reactions to dissatisfaction identified by Caryl Rusbult include all of the following EXCEPT

A) loyalty
B) exit
C) suspicion
D) voice

Question 55

According to Rusbult, when Jack responds to dissatisfaction by discussing his concerns with his partner, he is utilizing the reaction known as

A) voice
B) posturing
C) loyalty
D) compromise

Question 56

Two people do not need to influence each other to have a relationship.

Question 57

What is rewarding to one person may be of little value to someone else.

Question 58

Foa and Foa argue that rewards of social interaction can be classified along two dimensions: particularism and concreteness.

Question 59

Sedikides, Oliver, and Campbell (1994) found that men expressed greater concern about being dependent on a partner while women expressed greater concern about monetary costs of dating.

Question 60

How easy or difficult it is for two people to coordinate their outcomes depends on how much they share common interests and goals.

Question 61

When partners like to do many of the same things and value the same activities, they are said to have correspondent outcomes.

Question 62

People are less likely to use the equity principle when they are interacting with friends rather than strangers.

Question 63

Satisfaction in dating and marriage is not affected by perceptions of equity.

Question 64

Exchange relationships occur most often with family members and close friends.

Question 65

In communal relationships, people feel a personal responsibility for the needs of the other.

Question 66

Self-perception is a type of conversation where we share intimate information and feelings with another person.

Question 67

Self-disclosure does not tend to be reciprocated.

Question 68

In general, we like people most whose self-disclosure is reciprocal and gradual.

Question 69

For U.S. couples, higher satisfaction is associated with greater verbal disclosure.

Question 70

The link between self-disclosure and marital satisfaction does not depend on cultural beliefs.

Question 71

Sex differences in self-disclosure are most pronounced in same-sex relationships.

Question 72

Research supports the stereotype that all men are inexpressive the majority of the time.

Question 73

Self-disclosure is the sole determinant of intimacy.

Question 74

Social power refers to a person's ability to influence deliberately the behavior, thoughts, or feelings of another person.

Question 75

A majority of U.S. couples describe their romantic relationships as male dominated.

Question 76

Only a small minority of Mexican-American marriages are egalitarian.

Question 77

Social exchange theory predicts that when partners are imbalanced in their resources, the person who has more resources will have more power.

Question 78

The person who wants most to continue a relationship has the greatest power.

Question 79

The potential for conflict increases as two people become more interdependent.

Question 80

Among married couples, conflict is fairly uncommon.