Deck 9: Beliefs and Values

Question 1

In intimate relationships, a standard can be conceptualized as:

A) an evaluative judgment.
B) an attitude.
C) a comparison level.
D) a comparison level for alternatives.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Anthropological studies of societies ranging from industrialized nations to agricultural communities found that romantic love is:

A) valued more highly in industrial societies than in agricultural societies.
B) communicated in remarkably similar ways across countries.
C) nearly universal across the human species.
D) a relatively modern invention, replacing the love of family and country that was once dominant.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

To describe general lay theories of relationship satisfaction, Hassebrauck (1997) asked 120 students to list as many features of a good intimate relationship as they could and then asked a second group to rate how important each of the most frequently mentioned features is to a good relationship. Which of the following features was NOT on the top-20 list?

A) love
B) understanding
C) passion
D) openness

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Jay believes intimate relationships shouldnÕt be about passion; rather, intimate partners should be comfortable with each other and should depend on each other. This is best characterized as a ________ theory about relationships.

A) long-term bliss
B) storybook fantasy
C) friends/companions
D) utilitarian involvement

Question 5

People with a(n) ________ locus of control relative to their marriages believe they are responsible for the outcomes they experience in the marriage; in contrast, people with a(n) ________ locus of control believe they have little responsibility for what happens in the marriage.

A) high; low
B) low; high
C) external; internal
D) internal; external

Question 6

Attachment models in adulthood are:

A) general theories that we apply to all of our relationships.
B) specific theories that capture the expectations we have for a particular relationship.
C) fairly stable; people describe more or less the same level of security in different relationships.
D) not particularly useful in understanding peopleÕs beliefs about relationships.

Question 7

People who score high in sex-role traditionalism ________, whereas people who score low in sex-role traditionalism ________.

A) value a clear separation of the roles and responsibilities for men and women; reject the idea that men and women have different spheres of influence
B) reject the idea that men and women have different spheres of influence; value a clear separation of the roles and responsibilities for men and women
C) believe men should be responsible for the financial security of the family; believe women should be responsible for the home and children
D) have lower relationships ideals; have higher relationship ideals

Question 8

Janelle believes intimate relationships should be like business partnerships, with expectations for the relationship clearly laid out. This is best characterized as a ________ theory about relationships.

A) long-term bliss
B) storybook fantasy
C) friends/companions
D) utilitarian involvement

Question 9

A ________ is an idea or a theory about what the world is actually like; a ________ is an idea about what the world should be like.

A) belief; value
B) value; belief
C) perception; belief
D) perception; value

Question 10

Dion believes that what he does is unlikely to effectively bring about changes in his unhappy marriage and that he has little responsibility for what happens in his relationship. Dion has a(n):

A) insecure attachment style.
B) negative expectation.
C) internal locus of control.
D) external locus of control.

Question 11

Rusbult and colleagues described four different patterns of beliefs about relationships that are created by combining two dimensions. Long-term bliss and storybook fantasy have in common the belief that ________, and storybook fantasy and utilitarian involvement have in common the belief that ________.

A) passion is most important; relationships are fixed
B) relationships grow; practical concerns are most important
C) passion is most important; relationships grow
D) relationships are fixed; practical concerns are most important

Question 12

General lay theories of relationships include beliefs and values about ________, and specific lay theories of relationships include beliefs and values about ________.

A) particular relationships we are experiencing or have experienced in the past; relationships in general
B) relationships in general; particular relationships we are experiencing or have experienced in the past
C) relationships in general; particular relationships other people are in
D) particular relationships other people are in; particular relationships we are experiencing or have experienced in the past

Question 13

Luca believes intimate relationships are meant to be passionate, but he acknowledges that he and his partner will need work in developing this passion over time. This is best characterized as a ________ theory about relationships.

A) long-term bliss
B) storybook fantasy
C) friends/companions
D) utilitarian involvement

Question 14

Your friend Mat announces, ÒIf two people truly love each other, they can overcome any obstacles that come their way.Ó MatÕs statement is an example of:

A) an expectation.
B) a value.
C) a belief.
D) the self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 15

Frey believes that he can effectively bring about changes in his relationship and that he is responsible for the outcomes he experiences in his marriage. Frey has a(n):

A) secure attachment style.
B) positive expectation.
C) internal locus of control.
D) external locus of control.

Question 16

An attitude is a ________ that involves a ________ of someone or something.

A) general value; positive evaluation
B) specific belief; positive or negative evaluation
C) general value; positive or negative evaluation
D) specific value; negative evaluation

Question 17

________ refer to predictions about what is likely to happen in a particular relationship.

A) Expectations
B) Values
C) Ideals
D) Standards

Question 18

Cheryl believes in fate when it comes to intimate relationships. When she meets Òthe one,Ó sparks will fly and it will be love at first sight. This is best characterized as a ________ theory about relationships.

A) long-term bliss
B) storybook fantasy
C) friends/companions
D) utilitarian involvement

Question 19

Rusbult and colleagues described four different patterns of beliefs created by combining ideas about the importance of passionate love with ideas about the capacity for relationships to grow and change over time. These four patterns are:

A) long-term bliss, friends/companions, storybook fantasy, and utilitarian involvement.
B) empty love, passionate love, companionate love, and fatuous love.
C) long-term bliss, empty love, storybook fantasy, and platonic love.
D) consummate love, friends/companions, infatuated love, and utilitarian involvement.

Question 20

To describe general lay theories of relationship satisfaction, Hassebrauck (1997) asked 120 students to list as many features of a good intimate relationship as they could and then asked a second group to rate how important each of the most frequently mentioned features is to a good relationship. Which of the following features was NOT on the top-20 list?

A) love
B) excitement
C) understanding
D) openness

Question 21

Social exchange perspectives on relationships propose that satisfaction depends on:

A) oneÕs ideals in a relationship.
B) oneÕs standards in a relationship.
C) the quality of outcomes that one receives in a relationship.
D) all of the above.

Question 22

Your friend Jaad completed the Relationship Belief Inventory (RBI) and endorsed a number of statements, such as, ÒA partner should know what you are thinking or feeling without you having to tell,Ó and ÒOne of the major causes of marital problems is that men and women have different emotional needs.Ó Jaad probably scored ________ on the RBI, and you predict he will have ________ marital satisfaction.

A) low; lower
B) low; higher
C) high; lower
D) high; higher

Question 23

Samuel believes that relationships are either destined to succeed or destined to fail. This belief predicts which of the following relationship characteristics?

A) conflict resolution
B) partner intimacy
C) relationship length
D) relationship satisfaction

Question 24

ÒIf I get more than I expect, I will be happy, and if I get less than I expect, then I will be less happy.Ó This statement best illustrates which of the following theories?

A) perceptual confirmation
B) moderation model
C) ideal standards model
D) general lay theory

Question 25

Endorsing a statement such as ÒA partner should know what you are thinking or feeling without you having to tellÓ is related to:

A) successful marriages.
B) behavioral confirmation.
C) perceptual confirmation.
D) lower marital satisfaction.

Question 26

Your friend Daniel believes that satisfaction early in a relationship is the most important predictor of how long the relationship will last. Another friend, Shannon, argues that satisfaction early in a relationship has very little bearing on how long the relationship will last. Who is right?

A) Daniel is correct. Couples who are highly satisfied stay together much longer than couples who are low in satisfaction early on.
B) Shannon is correct. The relationship between how satisfied couples are early in the relationship and relationship longevity is very weak.
C) Both are partly correct. Satisfaction strongly predicts longevity in couples who believe that destiny plays a big role in relationship success but barely does so in couples who do not believe in the role of destiny.
D) Neither is correct. Satisfaction early in the relationship does not predict relationship longevity at all.

Question 27

Who is likely to be more satisfied in his or her relationship?

A) Danica, who believes romance is critical to relationship success and whose partner sends her flowers and writes poems for her
B) Jose, who believes that couples who fight a lot are unhappy and who occasionally argues with his partner
C) Harpreet, who believes honesty is crucial in a relationship and who recently learned that her partner had a brief affair several years ago
D) Danica, Jose, and Harpreet are likely to be equally satisfied.

Question 28

In distinguishing standards from ideals, the textbook notes that:

A) people likely differ more in standards than in ideals.
B) cross-cultural research on relationship ideals shows that humans evolved common desires for passionate, committed relationships.
C) people around the world have similar ideals about intimate partners and intimate relationships.
D) across different cultures, people differ little in relationship standards.

Question 29

One of your friends, Micah, says the best way to approach relationships is to expect the best, because then you are more likely to achieve it. Another friend, David, says the best approach is to expect little from relationships, so that you will not be disappointed. Based on what you learned in the beliefs and values chapter, how would you respond to these two friends?

A) Micah is correct.
B) David is correct.
C) MicahÕs approach is correct when starting a relationship, because you want to be positive and optimistic. DavidÕs approach is correct when you are in an established relationship, because you want to be accurate and cautious.
D) Both are partly correct. Couples should set their sights high enough to motivate their best efforts to keep the relationship strong but not so high that they aspire to goals that are out of reach.

Question 30

Behavioral confirmation is a process in which:

A) our beliefs shape our behavior toward others.
B) we behave in ways that ensure we wonÕt be rejected.
C) ambiguous experiences are perceived as being consistent with existing beliefs.
D) we react negatively to conflict in relationships.

Question 31

Perceptual confirmation is a process in which:

A) our beliefs shape our behavior toward others.
B) we act to bring about the experiences we expect to happen.
C) ambiguous experiences are perceived as being consistent with existing beliefs.
D) we react negatively to conflict in relationships.

Question 32

Sandra Murray and colleagues (2003) asked married couples to report on their relationships every day for 21 days and then examined how the events of one day were associated with each partnerÕs feelings and behaviors on subsequent days. What best describes the findings of this study?

A) Spouses who capitalized on their successes behaved especially constructively in the days that followed.
B) Spouses who believed that they were highly regarded by their partners tended to behave especially constructively in the days that followed a serious conflict.
C) Spouses who doubted their partnersÕ feelings for them tended to initiate further arguments in the days that followed a serious conflict.
D) No clear patterns distinguished spouses that had positive beliefs from spouses that had negative beliefs.

Question 33

Which of the following statements about having high expectations of intimate relationships is true?

A) The self-fulfilling prophecy suggests that people with high expectations will have more satisfying relationships.
B) Insecure and secure individuals have similar standards for their relationships, though secure individuals are able to resolve conflicts more effectively.
C) Although partners with an internal and external locus of control report similar numbers of problems in their relationships, those with an internal locus of control are more satisfied.
D) Positive beliefs and high standards are beneficial for relationships even though they do not always motivate beneficial behaviors and responses.

Question 34

Snyder and his colleagues studied telephone conversations between unacquainted men and women. The men were led to believe their conversation partners were either physically attractive or physically unattractive. The men who thought they were talking to an attractive partner behaved in a friendlier manner during the conversation; interestingly, the women on the other end of the conversation also behaved in a friendlier manner, even though they did not know which photo their partners had seen. This best illustrates:

A) unrealistic expectations.
B) perceptual confirmation.
C) stereotype accuracy.
D) self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 35

Lucas is high in self-esteem. He expects others will like him, so he behaves in ways that in fact elicit positive responses from others. This best illustrates:

A) behavioral confirmation.
B) unrealistic expectations.
C) perceptual confirmation.
D) stereotype accuracy.

Question 36

Clinical psychologists working with troubled marriages have identified standards in five areas that are frequent sources of problems for couples seeking therapy. What is NOT one of these five areas?

A) boundaries
B) control
C) sacrifice
D) finances

Question 37

________ refers to the collected beliefs and values of a society.

A) Culture
B) Norms
C) Amae
D) Homogeneity

Question 38

Sharon believes her new work colleague, Steve, may not like her very much. One day Sharon runs into Steve in the hall and they briefly chat, until Steve says that he needs to get going because he has a busy day ahead of him. Sharon feels rejected by Steve and believes his departure is evidence of his dislike for her. SharonÕs response best illustrates the phenomenon of:

A) downward social comparison.
B) perceptual confirmation.
C) capitalization.
D) behavioral confirmation.

Question 39

Standard is to ________ as ideal is to ________.

A) hopes; satisfaction
B) unhappy; happy
C) minimum; maximum
D) satisfaction; happiness

Question 40

The fact that any two people are likely to share a number of values is called:

A) the stereotype accuracy effect.
B) a relationship belief.
C) perceptual confirmation.
D) cultural specificity.

Question 41

Cultural differences in beliefs about relationships may help explain:

A) why collectivistic and individualistic cultures differ in the value placed on romantic love in marriage.
B) large differences in divorce rates across countries.
C) differences in relationship quality across countries.
D) all of the above.

Question 42

5.What are standards in intimate relationships? How can we understand standards from a social exchange perspective?

Question 43

Jennie is 14 years old. Because her parents work long hours, she often watches shows on television with sexual and violent content that she knows her parents would not approve of. Based on how media exposure affects beliefs about relationships, what would you predict about JennieÕs behavior?

A) Jennie will become sexually active later than her same-age peers who watch less sexual and violent content on television.
B) There will be no difference between when Jennie becomes sexually active compared to her peers who watch less sexual and violent content on television.
C) Jennie will likely report engaging in similar levels of sexual behavior as 16- or 17-year-old girls.
D) Jennie will likely report engaging in similar levels of sexual behavior as the adults she watches on television.

Question 44

The way in which relationships are portrayed in the media affects:

A) general relationship beliefs.
B) how people evaluate their own relationships.
C) how people behave in relationships.
D) all of the above.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about the effects of early relationship experiences on subsequent relationship beliefs is FALSE?

A) The quality of our relationship with a primary caregiver affects our ideas about relationships for the rest of our lives.
B) Young adults whose parents have divorced report similar optimism about marriage compared to young adults whose parents have remained married.
C) Adult children of divorced parents have more difficulties discussing difficult issues with their romantic partners.
D) Young adults whose parents have divorced report lower expectations of trust in a future partner.

Question 46

What can you conclude about the research that compares relationship satisfaction in arranged marriages and partner-selected marriages? Compared to partner-selected marriages, couples in arranged marriages:

A) report lower satisfaction.
B) report greater satisfaction.
C) initially report lower levels of satisfaction but greater satisfaction over time.
D) initially report similar levels of satisfaction but greater satisfaction over time.

Question 47

8.Nayanna says, ÒI want a relationship that sweeps me off my feet.Ó According to the ideal standards model, how might this impact NayannaÕs satisfaction in her current relationship?

Question 48

3.Rusbult and her colleagues developed a framework for four broad classes of beliefs about relationships, based on what people believe about the role of passion in relationships and their beliefs about the possibility of change and growth in relationships. Describe these four broad classes.

Question 49

Which of the following statements about the effect of media messages on our standards and beliefs about intimate relationships is FALSE?

A) The effects of watching sexually violent films tend to fade within a few hours.
B) Educating people about the effects of media messages affects their resistance to such messages.
C) Adolescents exposed to sexual behaviors on television are more likely to begin having sex themselves within the next year.
D) Men exposed to pictures of nude centerfolds subsequently report less love for their wives.

Question 50

1.Researchers have distinguished among three dimensions of relationship knowledge: 1) beliefs versus values; 2) knowledge targeting ourselves, our partners, and our relationships; and 3) general versus specific knowledge. Explain how beliefs and values differ, and provide examples of a general belief about relationships and a general value about relationships.

Question 51

Which of the following statements about the effects of early relationship experiences on subsequent relationship beliefs is true?

A) The quality of our relationship with a primary caregiver does not affect our ideas about relationships for the rest of our lives.
B) Young adults whose parents have divorced report similar optimism about marriage compared to young adults whose parents have remained married.
C) Adult children of divorced parents have fewer difficulties discussing difficult issues with their romantic partners.
D) Young adults whose parents have divorced report lower expectations of trust in a future partner.

Question 52

4.Distinguish between expectations and general relationship beliefs, and explain how expectations are related to general beliefs about relationships. Provide an example of both an expectation and a general relationship belief to illustrate the difference between the two.

Question 53

9.Contrast perceptual and behavioral confirmation, and indicate how each can affect relationship experiences.

Question 54

Jaspreet and Imara are friends living in the same town in India. Both are getting married this summer, Jaspreet to a neighborÕs son who was selected for her by her family and Imara to a young man she met in one of her university classes. Based on research comparing happiness in arranged marriages and partner-selected marriages, who would you predict will have higher marital satisfaction?

A) Imara, because she was able to choose her partner
B) Jaspreet, because arranged marriages are culturally accepted in India
C) Jaspreet initially, but her satisfaction will decline over time and eventually Imara will be more satisfied
D) Imara initially, but JaspreetÕs satisfaction will increase over time and in the end she will be more satisfied than Imara

Question 55

Which of the following statements about the effect of media messages on our standards and beliefs about intimate relationships is true?

A) The effects of watching sexually violent films tend to fade within a few hours.
B) Educating people about the effects of media messages has no affect on their resistance to such messages.
C) Adolescents exposed to sexual behaviors on television subsequently delay sexual behavior themselves.
D) Men exposed to pictures of nude centerfolds subsequently report less love for their wives.

Question 56

6.Caelen and Sarah are seeing a therapist to try to deal with several issues in their relationship: Caelen would like their relationship to be closer, but Sarah values her independence; related to this, Sarah is comfortable with few expressions of affection in their relationship, whereas Caelen likes to express affection frequently. Which standards are a source of problems for Caelen and Sarah? Which standards described in the textbook are NOT a source of problems for the couple?

Question 57

2.Sprecher and Metts (1989) asked college students to rate how much they agreed with specific statements about the role of romance in relationships. Their analyses suggested that ideas about romantic love are composed of four separate beliefs. Describe these four beliefs, and explain how endorsing or not endorsing such beliefs is related to peopleÕs intimate relationships.

Question 58

Research on from where our beliefs and values about intimate relationships come shows that:

A) media influences are more important than cultural influences.
B) personal experience plays a much greater role in shaping our beliefs and values than do cultures or the media.
C) cultures and the media shape our beliefs and values, which in turn influence our personal experiences.
D) cultures, the media, and personal experience all play an important role in shaping our beliefs and values.

Question 59

10.As a relationship researcher, you have been hired by a daytime talk show to provide on-air relationship advice to the showÕs guests. A guest, Aimee, says her partner was laid off from his job and has not done much to find a new one but still refuses to care for their children, forcing her to take more hours at work and put their children in daycare just to be able to buy groceries. Various audience members suggest that Aimee clearly needs to raise her standards, and that she should dump her partner and find someone better. As the ÒexpertÓ on the show, would you suggest that Aimee raise her standards? Why or why not?

Question 60

7.Explain and give examples of three ways in which peopleÕs thoughts about relationships can affect what they experience in their relationships.

Question 61

11.Describe the five subscales of the Relationship Belief Inventory (RBI), and provide an example to illustrate each. How do scores on the RBI relate to marital satisfaction?

Question 62

12.When considering factors that determine peopleÕs beliefs and values about relationships, why is it important to distinguish between influences that are more distant from the individual and influences that are specific to the individual?

Question 63

14.You have been asked to participate in a radio show about how the media affect our beliefs about ourselves and our relationships. One of the other participants comments that because of the pervasiveness of media, people are bombarded by unhealthy messages they can do little about. How do you respond?

Question 64

13.Jaspreet and Imara are friends living in the same town in India. Both are getting married this summer, Jaspreet to a neighborÕs son who was selected for her by her family and Imara to a young man she met in one of her university classes. Based on research comparing happiness in arranged marriages and partner-selected marriages, what would you predict about JaspreetÕs and ImaraÕs marital satisfaction?

Question 65

15.Describe two personal experiences that have notable effects on individualsÕ thinking about relationships.