Deck 6: Interdependency

Question 1

Which of the following should be true for people to stay satisfied in a relationship?

A) Their comparison levels should exceed the outcome of the relationship.
B) The outcome of the relationship should exceed their comparison levels.
C) Their comparison levels should exceed their partner's comparison level.
D) Their comparison levels should be less than their partner's comparison level.

Answer 1

The outcome of the relationship should exceed their comparison levels.

Question 2

Maurice receives many rewards and has few costs in his relationship with Karla. He believes he should have many more rewards. According to interdependency theory, this indicates that:

A) Maurice experiences satisfaction in the relationship.
B) Maurice experiences dissatisfaction in the relationship.
C) Maurice is likely to be dependent on the relationship.
D) Maurice is likely to be independent in the relationship.

Answer 2

Maurice experiences dissatisfaction in the relationship.

Question 3

The comparison level for alternatives describes the outcomes people would receive if:

A) they lower their expectations in their current relationship and seek alternative rewards.
B) they leave the current relationship and move to the best alternative situation.
C) they learn to engage in a more positive and supportive manner in their relationship.
D) they discuss alternatives for a pressing problem more often than they currently do.

Answer 3

they leave the current relationship and move to the best alternative situation.

Question 4

According to interdependence theory, individuals are dependent on their partners if:

A) their CL_alt is lower than that of their partners.
B) the outcome of the relationship is much higher than their CL_alt.
C) the outcome of the relationship is slightly better than their CL_alt.
D) the outcome of the relationship is lower than their CL_alt.

Question 5

Rhonda is not sure if she loves her partner anymore. She gets little satisfaction from their relationship. However, she believes there are few other options for her. According to interdependence theory, what is Rhonda likely to do?

A) Stay with her current partner no matter what
B) Leave her current partner, even if no other options are available
C) Stay with her current partner until her alternatives improve
D) Stay with her current partner and try to improve the relationship

Question 6

Which of the following statements is true of CL_alt?

A) CL_alt is directly proportional to CL.
B) CL_alt is inversely proportional to CL.
C) If someone has a lot of investments in a relationship, then he or she tends to have a lower CL_alt than someone who does not have any investment in a relationship.
D) If someone is doing well in his or her career and has a high self-esteem, then he or she tends to have a lower CL_alt than someone who is not doing well in his or her career.

Question 7

Pauline moved from Minneapolis to Pierre, South Dakota. In Minneapolis, she had a long history of successful close relationships, and several attractive men used to ask her out. In Pierre, she started what she considers a rather poor relationship with Thomas, a man whom she found to be insensitive but better than the other options available in her new, small community. Now that she's been in Pierre for an extended time, she thinks she will continue dating Thomas. Let ">" mean "is greater than."
From the perspective of interdependence theory, Pauline is in a situation in which her:

A) CL > CL_alt > outcome.
B) CL > outcome > CL_alt.
C) CL_alt > CL > outcome.
D) CL_alt > outcome > CL.

Question 8

Millie is in a relationship in which her outcomes exceed her CL_alt, which in turn exceeds her CL. Josephine is in a relationship in which her CL_alt is greater than her outcomes, which in turn are greater than her CL. Which of the following statements is true?

A) Both Millie and Josephine are likely in stable relationships.
B) Millie's relationship is most likely unstable; Josephine's is stable.
C) Millie is likely to be happy in her relationship; Josephine is not.
D) Both Millie and Josephine are likely in happy relationships.

Question 9

According to interdependency theory, which of the following statements is true of how CL and CL_alt are influenced by various factors?

A) Rewarding relationships tend to become less satisfying with time due to an increase in CL.
B) In general, relationships bring more satisfaction today than they did 50 years ago due to a decrease in CL.
C) Women's greater participation in the workforce has decreased their CL_alt.
D) Greater access to the Internet has decreased people's CL_alt.

Question 10

Your best friend criticizes you and then offers you a compliment. Research suggests that:

A) the compliment would soften the blow of the criticism, but the combination will still leave you distressed.
B) you will be delighted with the compliment and ignore the criticism.
C) the compliment and the criticism will cancel each other out, leaving you in the same state you started in.
D) you will question your friend's reasons for giving the compliment but not question the reasons for the criticism.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true of the relationship between approach goals and avoidance goals?

A) The greater the fulfillment of approach goals, the greater the fulfillment of avoidance goals.
B) The greater the fulfillment of approach goals, the lesser the fulfillment of avoidance goals.
C) Approach goals and avoidance goals are independent of each other.
D) Approach goals and avoidance goals are seldom present together in a relationship.

Question 12

Samantha and her husband, Greg, are both adventurous and often go on treks that they enjoy. They share a passion for sports and ensure they spend time every weekend playing tennis. They spend a lot of time together over these shared interests. However, they also argue frequently and put each other down during these fights. According to Reis and Gable, theirs is a ________ relationship.

A) flourishing
B) precarious
C) boring
D) distressed

Question 13

Mark feels dissatisfied in his relationship because he feels that his wife rarely spends time with him. He also feels insecure because she constantly complains about his low income. According to Reis and Gable, Mark has a ________ relationship with his wife.

A) boring
B) precarious
C) distressed
D) avoidant

Question 14

According to interdependency theory, individuals will be magnanimous and philanthropic toward people they are dependent on because:

A) human beings are culturally habituated to display these traits when they are dependent.
B) they would experience guilt if they did not.
C) they can then become more powerful in the relationship and increase their CL_alt.
D) it increases their likelihood of receiving valuable rewards in return.

Question 15

Exchange relationships are always observed in interactions between:

A) husband and wife.
B) father and son.
C) a donor and a charity home.
D) shopkeeper and customer.

Question 16

Both Aletha and her partner are getting equal amounts of outcome from their relationship. Aletha feels she is putting more into the relationship than her partner. According to equity theorists, Aletha is likely to feel:

A) dissatisfied because if she is contributing more, she should also be getting more out of the relationship than her partner does.
B) satisfied because both she and her partner are getting equal amounts out of the relationship.
C) dissatisfied because the more one puts into a relationship, the more dissatisfied that person is with the relationship.
D) satisfied because she knows she is doing all she can for the relationship.

Question 17

Research shows that in relationships in which the men adhere to traditional expectations, the women involved are:

A) generally happier and healthier than in relationships involving men who believe in more equality of the sexes.
B) generally not as happy and healthy as in relationships involving men who believe in more equality of the sexes.
C) just as happy and healthy as those in relationships involving men who believe in more equality of the sexes.
D) happier than those in relationships involving men who believe in more equality of the sexes but also more likely to suffer from fatigue due to overwork.

Question 18

In the context of the consequences of commitment, which of the following is true of the "derogation of tempting alternatives"?

A) It refers to the willingness of committed partners to control their impulse to engage in destructive communication.
B) It is a mechanism that reduces the allure of those who might otherwise entice people away from their present partners.
C) It is a coping strategy for individuals who have a highly avoidant style of attachment in their relationships.
D) It is a tactic that people use to tolerate destructive behavior from their partners without fighting back.