Q&A Hero

Q: Massachusetts became the first state in the United States to allow same-sex couples to marry

Q: Marriage counselors say that trying to change people you love seldom works

Q: A majority of lesbian couples create more egalitarian relationships than do either heterosexuals or gay men

Q: Couple satisfaction seems especially affected by equity in housework and childcare

Q: European mothers were more likely than African American mothers to characterize adolescent daughters as "best friends"

Q: In African American families headed by single women, daughters frequently exhibit lower self-reliance and self-esteem than their Caucasian counterparts

Q: More than 30% of men in dual-worker families make more money than their female partners

Q: Beginning in the late 1700s or early 1800s, most people in the United States picked mates based on love and companionship

Q: Marriage is also occurring later than it once didtoday, half of Americans in the 25- to 29-year-old age range are unmarried

Q: More than 50% of people over the age of 24 are married

Q: In these relationships, partners are incompatible. They remain tied to each other for reasons ranging from inertia to practical considerations (for example, children or finances). The primary dynamic between partners is conflict a vital marriage b total marriage c passive-congenial marriage d constructive marriage e conflict-habituated marriage

Q: Partners in these relationships don't dislike each other, but they are bored with each other and the relationship. Although the relationship was vital and a source of much satisfaction earlier, it now is lifeless and characterized by apathy a vital marriage b total marriage c passive-congenial marriage d constructive marriage e conflict-habituated marriage

Q: In these relationships, partners are polite, and they interact, but they typically deal with superficial matters. This has been the norm for the partners since they married. For partners, activities and interests outside the relationship are primary sources of pleasure and satisfaction a vital marriage b total marriage c passive-congenial marriage d constructive marriage e conflict-habituated marriage

Q: This relationship is similar to the vital marriage except that partners are not so continuously together. Each has separate interests and sources of satisfaction, yet they look forward to being with each other and schedule their lives to maximize time together a vital marriage b total marriage c passive-congenial marriage d constructive marriage e conflict-habituated marriage

Q: In this relationship, the couple is very close emotionally and wants to be together physically as much as possible. For these couples, the relationship is their primary source of satisfaction and joy a vital marriage b total marriage c passive-congenial marriage d constructive marriage e conflict-habituated marriage

Q: During this stage, For couples who are married, spouses get used to the labels "wife" and "husband" and to the social and legal recognition of their union a establishing a family b enlarging a family c encouraging independence d launching children e adapting to children

Q: During this stage, a couple settles into marriage or a cohabiting relationship and works out expectations, interaction patterns, and daily routines for their shared life a establishing a family b enlarging a family c encouraging independence d launching children e adapting to children

Q: During this stage, children decrease the amount of couple time and change the focus of a couple's communication a establishing a family b enlarging a family c encouraging independence d launching children e adapting to children

Q: For children, this is a very important phase in personal development. They are learning to be less dependent on their families, which is essential to becoming a healthy adult a establishing a family b enlarging a family c encouraging independence d launching children e adapting to children

Q: Concerning the typical life cycle of families with children, the fifth stage is usually: a establishing a family b enlarging a family c developing a family d launching children e adapting to children

Q: All of the following are examples of families except: a a heterosexual man and woman who have been married for 12 years and have 2 kids b two gay men who have cohabitated for 20 years and have one adopted son c A single woman who adopted a daughter from China and works outside the home d A 27 year old single mom whose mother just moved in with her e A single male who works inside the home

Q: All of the following are part of the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" except: a criticism b contempt c defensiveness d stonewalling e mindfulness

Q: As a rule, women assume most of the ____, which involves remembering, planning, and scheduling family life a second shift b marital stability c family stability d psychological responsibility e physical responsibility

Q: ____ states that people apply economic principles to evaluate their relationships a social exchange theory b social penetration theory c selective perception theory d equity theory e relationship repair theory

Q: According to a study of men in high pressure technology jobs, Cooper found three ways that these men approach fathering. All of the following are three ways described by Cooper except: a independents b superdads c traditionals d transitionals e both traditionals and transitionals

Q: Concerning the typical life cycle of families with children, the second stage is usually: a establishing a family b enlarging a family c developing a family d encouraging independence e adapting to children

Q: After the first few married years, most couples experience a dip in marital satisfaction: a when they have children b when a spouse gets lazy in the relationship c when their occupation takes most of the time d when they stop communicating e regardless of whether or not they have children

Q: Mr. and Mrs. Miller is a couple who is highly autonomous. Mr. and Mrs. Miller give each other plenty of room and they share less emotionally than the other marital types. The Millers would be best categorized as which of Fitzpatrick's marital types? a mixed b traditionals c independents d separates e interdependents

Q: In their class study, Cuber & Harroff (1965) identified five distinct marital types. All of the following are the five distinct marital types except: a vital marriage b total marriage c passive-congenial marriage d constructive marriage e conflict-habituated marriage

Q: In the general U.S. population, ____ of the people oppose or strongly oppose same-sex marriages a 21% b 11% c 41% d 51% e 31%

Q: Describe the triangle of love and each of the components

Q: What is the chemistry of love?

Q: Are workplace romances common? If so, what does the book discuss about workplace romances?

Q: The book discusses valentine's day, explain what is truly Valentine's Day?

Q: There are several myths about sexually transmitted diseases discussed in your book. Identify at least four misconceptions about STDs and what the true facts

Q: The book discusses six styles of love. Describe each of the love styles and give a media example of each of these love styles

Q: Relationship researchers have identified patterns in terms of how relationships tend to deteriorate. Put the following phases in sequential order and explain characteristics of each phase. Feel free to use a real or hypothetical example to illustrate these phases: intrapsychic phase, dyadic breakdown phase, grave dressing, social phase, dyadic phase, social support

Q: Critics of on-line communities argue that there is greater potential for deceit in online relationships in comparison to face-to-face ones. In online relationships, they argue, people may misrepresent their appearance, sex, sexual orientation, etc. What are the advantages of disadvantages of having the ability to be represent yourself differently in an online community than you are able to in a face-to-face community? If you think there are ethical concerns here, discuss these. If you feel ethics are irrelevant to this issue, explain why

Q: Relationship researchers have identified six stages of development for progressive intimacy in romantic relationships. Identify all six stages and describe the characteristics of each. Feel free to use a real or hypothetical example to illustrate the general developmental path

Q: Statistics on violence between intimates are based on reported incidents. Given what you have learned about feminine and masculine socialization, why might male and female victims not report violent incidents (hint: be sure to discuss potentially different reasons for each)

Q: Identify the challenges (or difficulties) of long-distance romantic relationships, and explain communication strategies for coping with these challenges. Your response should focus on how couples involved in long-distance relationships can establish and sustain satisfying communication

Q: A friend who learns you are studying interpersonal communication asks for your opinion on what reallyholds a relationship together. Your friend says, "Some people I know tell me it's taking care of the big things like getting a home and celebrating anniversaries and stuff. But other people say the big things don't matter as much as the day-to-day stuff. Who is right?" Write out your response to your friend's question. In your response, be sure to not only state your opinion, but also to cite research findings (no need to footnote specific sources) that support your opinion

Q: Men and women also tend to have dissimilar ideas about how men and women should act

Q: The majority of college students think that men should initiate and plan dates and control sexual activity

Q: The meanings we assign to behavior in romantic relationships are entirely individualistic

Q: Romantic relationships do not follow a developmental course

Q: Intimacy is abiding affection and warm feelings for another person

Q: Passion happens without effortsometimes despite our efforts. Commitment is an act of will

Q: Commitment involves accepting responsibility for maintaining a relationship

Q: Commitment is the determination to stay together despite trouble, disappointments, sporadic restlessness, and lulls in passion

Q: Male abusers are far more likely than female abusers to inflict physical injuries, sometimes severe ones

Q: Women are more jealous of a partner's emotional investment in another relationship whereas men are more jealous of a partner's sexual infidelity

Q: Women are more egalitarian than men in regards to who was responsible for paying for the first date

Q: Pragma love types are more likely to use online matching services to specify their criteria for a desirable mate

Q: Women are more likely than men to perceive companionship as a goal for a first date

Q: Storge love tends to grow quickly

Q: Passion is the primary foundation for enduring romance

Q: Researchers have shown that many people who engage in violence against romantic partners lack the communicative skills to constructively manage emotions and conflicts

Q: Two million new cases of STDs are diagnosed each year

Q: Half of all new STDs occur in people 15 to 24 years old

Q: Men are more likely than women to feel a relationship is breaking down if they and their partners don't really communicate well

Q: How we see ourselves greatly influences our choices in potential romantic partners

Q: An individual's style of loving can be influenced by the love style of her or his partner

Q: The pragmatic style of loving (pragma) is too cold and practical to involve real love or intimacy

Q: Many lesbians place priority on physical characteristics

Q: The hypothesis that the United States is classless has been disproved by the fact that most people seek romantic partners of their own social class or above it

Q: The cycle of abuse contains all of the following except: a tension b explosion c remorse d perspective e honeymoon

Q: Although passionate feelings also matter, they are less central to perceptions of love than all of the following except: a caring b honesty c respect d imagination e trust

Q: The feelings of closeness, connection, tenderness are associated with this dimension. ____ is abiding affection and warm feelings for another person a respect b commitment c lust d intimacy e passion

Q: To build a lasting relationship with someone, we need something more durable than passion, we need ____ a sensuality b communication c complexity d commitment e intimacy

Q: This describes the intensely positive feelings and fervent desire for the other person. It is not restricted to sexual and sensual feelings a eros b romance c commitment d passion e intimacy

Q: This kind of love is practical love a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: They commitment is not the goal. Instead, they like to play the field and enjoy falling in love a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: This kind of love sees love as a game a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: These kind of relationships don't have the great highs of erotic ones, but neither do they have the fiery conflict and anger that can punctuate erotic relationships a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: This kind of love grows out of common interests, values, and life goals a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: This love tends to develop gradually and to be peaceful and stable a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: This is a comfortable, even-keeled kind of love based on friendship and compatibility a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: Men are more likely than women to be this kind of lover, a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape

Q: These lovers are likely to self-disclose early in a relationship, be very sentimental, and fall in love fast a eros b storge c ludus d pragma e agape