RELATIONSHIPS A01

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NON - WESTERN CULTURES

Less urban Areas

Less choice of who they interact with

Family and economic status of group main concern

Group goals and Interests are consistant with formation of romantic relationships

Lasts long time despite not feeling love

WESTERN CULTURES

Interact with large amount of people

'pool of potential'

Happiness for individual

Difference in opinion on romance in relationships

High rate of divorce + easier to start a new one - freedom of choice

DUCK - BREAKDOWN

LACK OF SKILLS - people who lack social skills. Could be unrewarding in interactions with others - could end relationship or prevent one

LACK OF STIMULATION - SET - people stay in relationships that are rewarding + if its lacks then could lead to breakdown. 'Boredom' most common reason to end

MAINTENANCE DIFFICULTIES - instances when people are separated for long periods of time e.g. uni or working away

ROLLIE + DUCK - BREAKDOWN MODEL

BREAKDOWN - Dissatisfaction with the relationship

INTRAPSYCHIC PHASE - Social withdrawal, resentment brooding on partners faults + relational costs

DYADIC PHASE - uncertainty and reassessment of goals

SOCIAL PHASE - going public with break up - talking to friends

GRAVE DRESSING PHASE - tidying up memories + preparing for future

RESSURECTION PHASE - what was learnt and how things will be different next time

SEXUAL + EMOTIONAL JEALOUSY

Men are more jealous of sexual infidelity as they want to avoid cuckoldry and investing in children that aren't theirs. Women are jealous of the shift of emotional focus leading to lack of resources to family.

PARENTAL INVESTMENT

Investment in offspring with increases the chance of survival at the expense of the parent. Females invest greater - less gametes + more costly to produce - limited number of offspring but males any amount + can opt out.

COST OF MATERNAL INVESTMENT

Childcare cost high - minimum 9 month pregnancy then feeding and caring but don't fear cuckoldry. As ancestors developed, brain size increased making labour harder.

CONSEQUENCES - Infant dependency - want males to provide expense of childrearing so women want good quality offspring through cuckoldry so efforts aren't wasted. This can be done through designer babies, marrying men with good resources but having an attractive man for good genes.

PARENT - CHILD RELATIONSHIPS

BOWLBY'S IWM suggests that later relationships are a continuation of early attachment types. some extreme cases leads to attachment disorders + can affect the development of romantic relationships in adulthood.

Caregiving system is knowledge about how one cares for others which is learnt through modelling the primary attachment behaviour. Sexuality systems is also acquired through early attachment as those infants who were avoidant are more likely to believe that sex without love is pleasurable.

INTERSEXUAL SELECTION (mate choice)

One sex preferring a certain trait in other sex. EXAMPLE - if females prefer tall men then overtime there will be an increase in tall males in the population. The favoured traits will be passed onto their offspring - selection of good genes.

INTRASEXUAL SELECTION (mate competition)

Members of one sex (males) compete to get the females. Winners get to mate and pass on genes. Traits that lead to success in these contests will be passed onto offspring.

SHORT TERM MATING PREFERENCES

Parental investment theory - males evolved a greater desire for casual sex and seek it earlier in a relationship than females.

In a year, a man could impregnate a large number of women and pass on his genes. if a women had sex with the same amount of men, this would still only result in one child. Less time men spend between having sex with females, the greater chance of more women being pregnant. Men lower their standards when investing genes and display decrease in attraction following sex; this evolved adaption brings a hasty departure which prevents them spending too long with one woman.

LONG TERM MATING PREFERENCES

Both sexes invest lots of time and resources into offspring which favours a high level of choosiness. Females attracted to males who are able to invest resources into their offspring and show protection. Males more attracted to females who show signs of fertility - being young, bigger hips etc.

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