Question 1

Shelly Gable and colleagues investigated how responses to partners' disclosures of positive life events are related to relationship satisfaction. Which of the following statements best describes the findings from this line of research?

Accepted Answer

Active-constructive responses enhance relationship satisfaction, while passive and destructive responses are linked to lower satisfaction.

Question 2

Niall Bolger and his colleagues (2000) conducted a study of law students taking the bar exam and their partners. Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

The study found that law students had the best adjustment when their partners provided more support than the law students reported receiving. This suggests that perceived support from a partner may be less important than actual support received for an individual's well-being.

Question 3

Lisa is in the middle of studying for four final exams and feels a great deal of stress. Her partner, Alex, decides to help more around the house by doing the dishes and cooking dinner more often and mowing the lawn; however, Lisa does not notice that Alex has stepped up because she is too busy studying for finals. According to the textbook, Alex is providing:

Accepted Answer

Alex's support is not noticeable to Lisa because she is preoccupied with studying, thus making it invisible support.

Question 4

Passive-constructive capitalization responses are negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. Why might this be?

Accepted Answer

The passive aspect of these responses may cause them to come across as disengaged or unenthusiastic, which can diminish the positive impact of the constructive comments. In other words, the lack of active engagement may overshadow the positivity of the response, leading to lower relationship satisfaction.

Question 5

What is social integration?

Accepted Answer

Social integration refers to the extent to which individuals have a high number of social ties and connections within a community or society.

Question 6

Visible support is to ________ as invisible support is to ________.

Accepted Answer

Visible support refers to support that is known and can be seen, such as physical help or aid. Invisible support, on the other hand, is more emotional and may not be noticed by the recipient. Therefore, the best answer is B, as visible support is to known and invisible support is to unknown.

Question 7

Your partner is dealing with an upcoming important deadline at work. What is the best way for you to support him during this stressful time, and why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Your partner is dealing with an upcoming...

Question 8

Following a transgression, becoming less angry and blaming is to ________ as acting warmly toward your partner is to ________.

Accepted Answer

Becoming less angry and blaming is an internal process, hence intrapersonal, while acting warmly is an external action towards another, hence interpersonal.

Question 9

Selena is proud of herself for getting an article published in her school newspaper and has called her boyfriend, Nick, to tell him the good news. Which of the following factors will most likely determine whether Selena benefits from her attempt at capitalization?

Accepted Answer

The response Selena receives from Nick will most likely determine whether she benefits from capitalization because she will feel validated and supported by his positive reaction, which can increase her self-esteem and motivation to continue pursuing her goals.

Question 10

Gertrude just got a new job. Her boyfriend, Andre, responded by saying, ÒI really hope I can find a summer job. It is going to be hard this late in the semester.Ó What would you conclude about their relationship from this exchange?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gertrude just got a new job. Her...

Question 11

Lisa is in the middle of studying for four final exams and feels a great deal of stress. Her partner, Alex, is trying to decide how best to help: he could do more around the house by doing the dishes and cooking dinner more often and mowing the lawn, or he could offer to help quiz her on some of the material. What should Alex do, and why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lisa is in the middle of studying...

Question 12

Carl learns that Meena got a promotion. Carl said congratulations, but he then expressed his concern that this promotion might actually increase her workload. What kind of capitalization response is this?

Accepted Answer

Carl's response includes congratulations, but also expresses concern that the promotion might not be a positive thing for Meena. This is an example of active-destructive capitalization, as Carl is taking away from Meena's positive news by adding potential negative elements.

Question 13

Your roommate is studying for a big final exam. You notice that she is anxious, so to help out you decide to wash all the dinner dishes, even though it is her turn. What kind of support is this?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of invisible support because the act of washing the dishes is not explicitly acknowledged or discussed as a form of support. It is a helpful action, but it is not actively or directly addressing the roommate's anxiety, so it is not emotional support. It is also not an active-constructive support, as there is no explicit effort to help the roommate study or prepare. It could be considered passive-constructive support, but the best fit is still invisible support.

Question 14

Sharing positive emotions will enhance our relationships and thus build resources (e.g., strong relationships) on which we can draw in times of need. With what theory of relationships is this most consistent?

Accepted Answer

The statement is most consistent with the "broaden and build" theory, which suggests that positive emotions broaden our thoughts and actions, leading to increased physical, social, and intellectual resources that we can draw upon in the future. This theory emphasizes the importance of positive emotions in building and maintaining relationships, as positive emotions help to create a sense of connection and mutual support between individuals.

Question 15

Your partner just got a promotion at work and shares the news with you. Which of the following responses would be most likely to enhance your partner's relationship satisfaction?

Accepted Answer

Option D shows enthusiasm and support for the partner's achievement and offers a celebration which can enhance relationship satisfaction. Option A is neutral and does not convey much emotion. Option B focuses on the potential downsides of the promotion, which may not be what the partner wants to hear. Option C is somewhat positive but does not show much excitement or emotion.

Question 16

Carl told his wife, Meena, that he got a raise at work. Meena (although happy for Carl) did not say much. What type of capitalization response is this?

Accepted Answer

Meena's response is passive because she does not take an active role in the conversation, but acknowledges Carl's news. However, it is constructive because she is not negative or dismissive towards Carl's news, but rather neutral or possibly supportive.

Question 17

Lisa discovered that her wife lied about a bad investment that has cost them a good portion of their life savings. Still unhappy about the situation, Lisa is asking many questions about what happened. What stage of forgiveness do you think Lisa is experiencing?

Accepted Answer

Lisa is in the meaning stage, where she is seeking to understand what happened and why her wife would lie about such an important matter. She has not yet moved on to the stage of forgiveness where she can let go of her anger and disappointment.

Question 18

Danny and Stella were in therapy following the revelation of Stella's relationship with another man. Danny felt hurt, angry, and confused about his relationship and feelings for Stella, and Stella was defensive about the affair and tried to hide the full extent of her relationship with the other man. What stage of forgiveness do you think this couple is experiencing?

Accepted Answer

The couple is in the "impact" stage, where emotions are raw, and both partners are dealing with the immediate aftermath of the revelation.

Question 19

According to Gable and her colleagues, passive-constructive responses to capitalization attempts are associated with:

Accepted Answer

Passive-constructive responses to capitalization attempts, where one partner responds to the other's good news in an understated or minimally supportive way, are associated with lower relationship intimacy. This is because such responses do not provide the active, enthusiastic support that helps build closeness and connection between partners.

Question 20

Lisa is in the middle of studying for four final exams and feels a great deal of stress. Her partner, Alex, offers to help quiz her on some of the material. According to the textbook, Alex is providing:

Accepted Answer

Alex is providing visible support by actively offering to help quiz Lisa on her material, which is a form of support that is directly observable and often involves practical or tangible assistance.

Quiz 7: Communicating Closeness