Question 1

Peggy is a generally neurotic person. According to research discussed in the textbook, Peggy is particularly

Accepted Answer

The research discussed in the textbook indicates that neurotic individuals are more likely to experience relationship problems due to their tendency towards mood swings, anxiety, and insecurity.

Question 2

Susie is participating in research that assesses the strength of her bond with her partner. As part of this research, she is asked, "All things considered, how attractive are the people other than your partner with whom you could become involved?" Which element of the commitment model of relationships is this question measuring?

Accepted Answer

The question is directly assessing the extent to which Susie perceives attractive alternative partners as available, which is a key component of the alternative partner element of the commitment model.

Question 3

Happier couples tend to attribute their partners' positive behaviors to

Accepted Answer

Happier couples tend to attribute their partner's positive behavior to stable causes that are general, intended, and selfless, such as "they're a kind person" or "they always make an effort to make me happy." This reflects a positive view of their partner and strengthens their relationship.

Question 4

Tamara has been married to Josh for seven years. They have three children, own a house together, and have many mutual friends. According to the investment model of commitment, Tamara may be hesitant to end her marriage, even if she is dissatisfied, because of

Accepted Answer

According to the investment model of commitment, the magnitude of one's investment in a relationship, such as having children and a shared house, can lead to hesitance in ending the relationship despite dissatisfaction. Therefore, option C is the best choice as it aligns with the investment model of commitment. Option A is not necessarily a reason for hesitance in ending a marriage, and option B may not apply if Tamara does not have any potential alternative partners. Option D may influence someone's decision to end a marriage, but it is not directly related to the investment model of commitment.

Question 5

Caryl Rusbult's investment model of commitment holds that three factors determine how committed people will be to their relationship. These factors are

Accepted Answer

Rusbult's investment model of commitment holds that three factors determine how committed people will be to their relationship: satisfaction with the relationship, the perceived quality of alternatives to the relationship, and the amount of resources invested in the relationship.

Question 6

Larry suspects that his girlfriend wants to break up with him. Being a rather mean-spirited fellow, Larry tells his girlfriend that if she breaks up with him, she will be alone and will never find another boyfriend. To manipulate his girlfriend, Larry is drawing his girlfriend's attention to the ________ component of Caryl Rusbult's investment model of commitment.

Accepted Answer

Larry is drawing his girlfriend's attention to the alternative partners component of the investment model of commitment by suggesting that she will be alone and not find another boyfriend if she breaks up with him. This component refers to the perceived availability and desirability of other potential partners.

Question 7

How do babies' sleeping arrangements differ across cultures? What implications might these different arrangements have on a given culture's definition of secure attachment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do babies' sleeping arrangements differ across...

Question 8

Neuroimaging studies have found that when a person who is in the throes of intense love looks at a photograph of his or her partner, he or she shows increased activation in the ________ and deactivation in the ________.

Accepted Answer

Neuroimaging studies have consistently found that when a person who is in the throes of intense love looks at a photograph of his or her partner, he or she shows increased activation in the ventral striatum, a region of the brain implicated in reward processing and motivation. At the same time, there is often deactivation in the amygdala, which has been traditionally associated with threat and fear processing. Therefore, the best choice is B, which pairs ventral striatum with reward and amygdala with threat.

Question 9

In their research, John Gottman and Robert Levenson identified the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These so-called Horsemen are types of

Accepted Answer

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, according to Gottman and Levenson, are interpersonal behaviors that predict relationship problems. These behaviors are criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling.

Question 10

According to research by John Gottman and Robert Levenson, ________, which involves looking down on another person, is particularly likely to undermine relationships.

Accepted Answer

According to research by John Gottman and Robert Levenson, contempt, which involves looking down on another person, is particularly likely to undermine relationships. It is a toxic emotion that conveys disrespect, disgust, and superiority and can lead to feelings of bitterness and resentment in the recipient.

Question 11

Some historians believe that the idea that romantic love should precede marriage

Accepted Answer

Some historians believe that the idea that romantic love should precede marriage is relatively recent, emerging only in the past five hundred years or so. Historically, marriages were often arranged by families for economic or political reasons, rather than based on romantic love. It wasn't until the 18th century in Europe that the idea of marrying for love gained popularity.

Question 12

Distinguish between the three attachment patterns that Mary Ainsworth identified in her observations of infants and caregivers using the strange situation paradigm. Describe the characteristic behavior of both infants and caregivers for each style.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Distinguish between the three attachment patterns that...

Question 13

Describe three pieces of evidence that support the proposition that the need to belong is a fundamental need in humans.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe three pieces of evidence that support...

Question 14

Research conducted by John Gottman and Robert Levenson using the interaction dynamics approach yielded four behaviors that are particularly toxic to relationships. Which of the following is NOT one of these four behaviors?

Accepted Answer

The four behaviors identified by Gottman and Levenson as toxic to relationships are stonewalling, contempt, defensiveness, and criticism. Rationalizing is not one of these behaviors.

Question 15

Describe how comparison level and comparison level for alternatives influence people's evaluations of the costs and rewards in their relationships, according to social exchange theory.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe how comparison level and comparison level...

Question 16

In a study conducted by Art Aron and his colleagues, married couples engaged in one of two tasks: either they were tied together with Velcro and required to move a soft ball positioned between their heads across a long mat, or they each had to push a ball on their own across the mat with a stick. Couples in the first condition reported higher marital satisfaction after completing the task compared to couples in the second condition. How did the researchers interpret these results?

Accepted Answer

The researchers interpreted the results as the first task being more arousing, which led to a misattribution of arousal to feelings about one's partner, thus increasing marital satisfaction.

Question 17

Karen tends to idealize her husband, which means that she

Accepted Answer

Karen's tendency to idealize her husband suggests that she overestimates his positive traits and underestimates his negative traits.

Question 18

Shira comes home from work and tells her husband that she just got promoted. Her husband responds with enthusiasm and asks her questions about her new position. Shira's husband's behavior is an example of

Accepted Answer

Shira's husband's behavior is an example of capitalization, which refers to sharing and celebrating positive events with others. He is responding with enthusiasm and showing interest in her new promotion, which is a sign of supportive communication designed to enhance their relationship.

Question 19

Evaluate the claim that people tend to have the same attachment style across all of their relationships. Describe research from the textbook to support or refute this claim.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Evaluate the claim that people tend to...

Question 20

According to the evolutionary perspective, why are women more selective than men in their choice of mates?

Accepted Answer

According to the evolutionary perspective, women are more selective in their choice of mates because they invest more in offspring than males. Women carry and give birth to offspring and then typically provide the majority of their care, so they have a greater stake in finding a high-quality mate who will provide good genes, resources, and support for their offspring. By contrast, males can potentially father offspring with many females and often do not provide as much parental care, so they can afford to be less selective.

Quiz 10: Relationships and Attraction