Relationship Development By Marissa Orsborn Santiago, M/W 11 SOC 125

1. By Marissa Orsborn

2.  Early theories of relationship development
said couples move through a series of stages
that are characterized by the amounts of
commitment and involvement
 There are three stages which revolved
around a issue that would lead the couple
into the next stage which are:

3.  Based on study of couples by Alan Kerckhoff and
Keith Davis
 First potential partners are screened or
evaluated by similarity or social attributes
including religion, education, and social class. If
they are too different they are filtered out
 Secondly they are screened from value consensus
which is their similarities of attitudes and values
 Thirdly partners are tested whether they posses
complementary or compatible traits, or
interpersonal styles

4.  Aka “Wheel Theory of Love” by Ira Reiss
 First stage is called Rapport, where potential
partners are at ease with talking to each other. If
they are, they are believed to be similar in social and
cultural variables
 This then turns to self-revelation in which the
partners reveal or disclose degrees of information
about their values and beliefs
 Which then turns to mutual dependency, which is
each partner becomes dependent on the other to
behave in ways to benefit their own habits or goals
 Finally this turns to intimacy need fulfillment which
the partners evaluate whether their relationship and
interactions satisfy each others basic needs.(such as
love, sympathy and support)

5.  Proposed by Bernard Murstein through three stages:
 One being the Stimulus Stage, where mates perceive
each others outer charms compared to their own. If
they agree to be equally attracted to each other they
move on to the next stage
 The Value Stage allows the mates to value their
compatibility on various values and attitudes
 The final Role Stage, the partners evaluate
themselves and each other for roles such as being a
spouse or parent
 These are all gathered through spread out encounters
during the relationship and it shows to be
unsuccessful scientifically because no one can
identify at which encounter each stage actually
occurs

6.  Social Penetration Theory says couples are to
become more committed to each other as
their depth (degree of intimacy) and breadth
(number of areas) of self-disclosure increase.
 Intimacy Theory says that a couples
relationship can develop through responses
that leave their partner feeling validated,
cared for and accepted.

7.  SocialExchange theories focus on the
exchange of rewards and costs that occur
between partners and their relationship
 There are 5 Principle Theories

8.  Individuals seek in a relationship
to maximize their rewards or
anything they consider valuable,
and minimize their costs,
anything considered to be
unrewarding
 Rewards can = financial security,
sex, children and the social
profit that comes with having an
attractive, intelligent partner
 Costs can = things that involve
too much time, effort
compromise and lost
opportunities.

9.  Basically meaning relationships
have a tendency to change over
time.
 Partners engage in a process of
evaluation where they access
each other’s gains and losses,
profits and expenditures, and
rewards and costs.
 So if a relationship seems
satisfying at one point, things
can shift and what once seemed
good can turn bad.

10.  Social exchange theories say the result of
each partners cost-benefit evaluation
determines a relationship.
 Example: when two people meet, they will
immediately make a prediction of the
outcomes of future interactions
 If the reactions are positive they will go on
to a future romantic involvement, if they are
negative they will not likely have anything
then a superficial relationship, or no more
contact at all

11.  Partners perceptions of
outcomes they get from a
relationship are strongly
linked with their level of
satisfaction
 The relationship and
contributions made for both
partners is considered strong
if the equity or the ratios of
contributions between both
partners is equal
 For example if one partner
receives more benefits than
the other, the relationship can
still be equitable as long as he
or she makes a higher number
of contributions

12.  People who find themselves in a relationship
where one partner contributes more then the
other will experience distress and seek to
restore equity.
 Couples may try to restore equity within a
relationship but if they fail, and it causes too
much distress, the relationship is likely to
end

13.  John Thibauts and Harold Kelley’s
theory which proposes that two
people involved in one relationship
are interdependent with respect to
the outcomes of their behavior
 That is the thoughts, feelings, and
actions of one partner influence his
or her own outcomes as well as
those of his or her partner
 Thus the partners, as the
relationship develops are likely to
coordinate their behaviors in order
to achieve mutually rewarding
outcomes

14.  Canyou still have a strong relationship with
someone that has no similar interests? Why
or why not?