Relationships - Romantic Relationships

4 important questions on Relationships - Romantic Relationships

Triangular theory of love

A theory that states that there are three major components of love - passion, intimacy and commitment - which can be combined in different ways

1.Passion: physical attraction, sexual excitement 

 2.Intimacy: trust, caring, honesty 

3.Commitment: loyalty, devotion, sacrifice

Factors that influence whether couples stay committed

  • Rewards: what you get from the relationship 
  • Costs: what you give and the partner takes 
  • Comparison level: what you expect the reward-to-cost ratio to be
  • Alternatives: is an alternative partner available or likely? 
  • Comparison level for alternatives: does an alternative partner offer a higher ratio of rewards to costs? 
  • Investment: what you have invested and put into the relationship that would be lost if the relationship ended 

The “Four Horsemen of Apocalypse”

  • Criticism : being overly critical toward partner
  • Defensiveness : refusing to accept responsibility for conflicts 
  • Stonewalling : withdrawal from partner, refusal to emotionally interact
  • Contempt : looking down on one’s partner
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Interaction dynamics approach

A methodological approach to the study of the behaviors and conversations of couples, with a focus on both negative behaviors (such as anger, criticism, defensiveness, contempt, sadness, and fear) and positive behaviors (such as affection, enthusiasm, interest, and humor).

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