Deck 9: Adult Sexual Relationships

Question 1

What are the qualities you look for in a partner? Why do you think these qualities are important to you? Which could you live without? Which are nonnegotiable?

Answer 1

Human relationships thrive and become successful when complete understanding between the partners occurs. A successful and health relationship depends largely on the qualities that interacting partners look for in each other.
Some of the qualities that one look for in a partner would be emotional balance, a caring attitude, financial independence and a strong commitment for the relationship. These qualities would strengthen the bonding and hence are important.
The qualities that can adversely affect a relationship include excess possessiveness, jealousy, careless attitude and being non-committal. These undesirable qualities also can be considered as nonnegotiable as they can be detrimental to a healthy relationship.

Question 2

Do you ever want to settle down in a lifelong, committed relationship? Why or why not? If so, how long do you think you would want to date someone before settling down for life?

Answer 2

Human relationships can be either for a short duration or lifelong. Relationships that are lifelong have a high degree of commitment, responsibility, sharing and caring for each other.
I would prefer to settle down in a relationship that is lifelong as it is more meaningful compared to short time relationships.
The quantum of time required to date a person before deciding to settle down for life would depend on the time required to assess the person. Once a confidence on the partnering person is achieved, a lifelong relationship can be initiated.

Question 3

How would you feel if your partner cheated on you and engaged in sex outside of your relationship without your knowledge? What would you say to him or her? Have you ever had a conversation about monogamy?

Answer 3

Healthy and successful human relationships require a high degree of commitment, responsibility, sharing and caring for each other.
A breach of the factors contributing to healthy relationship would be detrimental and such factors include cheating by a partner. Indulging in sex outside a relationship is bound to cause disturbances in a relationship.
Usually, conversations regarding monogamy are not seriously attempted as it is considered for granted and monogamy is regarded as a virtue upon which relationships thrive.

Question 4

Suppose this morning when you woke up, you realized your roommate had another "hookup" last night. How do you feel about his or her frequent hooking up activity? What do you think encourages or discourages hookups on your campus?

Question 5

Pretend you live in a country that practices arranged marriage, and write an informational paragraph about yourself to give to a matchmaker. What would you want the matchmaker to look for in your marriage partner?

Question 6

Jeff and Steve have been dating for 3 years and are ready to commit to each other for life. Do you think their "marriage" should be formally recognized by the law? Why or why not?

Question 7

There have been many changes in the liberalization of divorce laws. Do you think that divorce has become too easy today? Do couples give up on their marriages too soon because of this?

Question 8

Do you think the expansion of marriage rights to same-sex couples erodes or damages heterosexual marriage? Why or why not?