Power

Question 1

Social Power

Answer 1

“the ability to influence the
behavior of others and to
resist their influence on us”

Power does not belong to an
individual. It’s an outcome of
a relationship between 2 (or
more) people.

Question 2

The Ideal
Balance?

Answer 2

Most people say that an ideal relationship would be an equal partnership.

However, most heterosexual couples still tolerate substantial inequality

Question 3

Sources of Power

Answer 3

interdependency Perspective: power is based on the control of valuable resources(ex:money)

Question 4

Who has Power in a Relationship?

Answer 4

The principle of least interest:
the one who is least interested in
the continuation of a relationship
is most able to control the
relationship

Availability of alternatives(CLalts): those with few
alternatives to their existing
partnerships will be more dependent on their relationships than will those with many other potential partners

Question 5

Types of
Relational Power

Answer 5

There are two different broad types of power:

Fate control: one can
automatically determine
what outcome a partner
receives, thereby
controlling the other’s fate(demanding)-ex:parents

Behavior Control: by
changing one’s own
behavior, one encourages a
partner to alter his/her
actions in a desirable
direction(not demanding)

Question 6

where we get our power ? resources

Answer 6

• rewards power: You can give them something they like or take away
  something they don’t like
• coercive power(punishment): ou can do something to them they don’t like or take away something they do like
• legitimate power(authority/social norms):They recognize your authority to tell them what to do
• referent power(respect/love): They identify with you, feeling attracted and wanting to remain close
• expert power(expertise):You have the broad understanding they desire
• informational power(information):You possess some specific information they desire- specific

Question 7

How is Power Expressed?

Answer 7

Conversation:

Conversations are influenced by the balance of power between
people.

People who get interrupted are judged to have lower status and be less powerful than **those who do the interrupting **

There are gender based conversational patterns for cross-sex
couples:

• Women and men behave similarly when talking to the same sex
• Men interrupt women more frequently than women do
  men
• Men use more assertive language, employ more vulgarities,
  and use fewer qualifiers when speaking to women

Question 8

How is Power
Expressed continued

Answer 8

Non-verbal behaviour:

Power is also communicated nonverbally through
patterns of eye contact, body movement, and touch

Powerful people
* Display more intense facial expressions
* Assume postures that are less symmetrical
* Take up more space
.

Question 9

How is Power
Expressed continued

Answer 9

Non-verbal sensitivity:

When two people differ in power, it is usually the job of the sub-ordinate to keep track of what the other person is feeling

Women are generally better at judging emotion and meaning than men

This is useful for non-verbal communication in a
relationship BUT what sort of power stereotypes are being reinforced?

Question 10

Power Styles

Answer 10

Direct vs. Indirect (asking vs. hinting)

Bilateral vs. Unilateral (bargaining vs. withdrawal/include u vs non-include u)

• Males are more direct/bilateral; Females are more indirect/unilateral
• This relates to instrumentality (Falbo 1982)
• Status is more influential than gender (Sagresatno 1992)
  The more satisfied people were with their relationships, the more likely they were to use
  direct strategies (Falbo & Peplau 1980)

Question 11

McDonald’s Model of Family Power

Answer 11

social power

family power:
-maritial power (rarely equal)
-parental power
-offspring power
-sibling power
-kinship power:other family menbers

Question 12

Marital Power Patterns

Answer 12

• Wife dominant
• Husband dominant
• Syncratic – joint decision
  making (all areas)
• Autonomic – shared authority
  (different areas)

Question 13

Outcomes of Power

Answer 13

When decision-making is shared equally, couples:

• Are happier
• Have less conflict
• Have fewer problems
• Are less prone to divorce

Question 14

Assessing Equality in
Close Relationships

Answer 14

• relative statues
• attention to the other
• patterns of accomedation
• well-being

Question 15

The Dark Side of Power

Answer 15

• With power comes the potential for violence!
• 24% of women and 14% of men in the U.S.A. have encountered severe physical violence from an intimate partner.
• 30% of the world’s women have been assaulted by a domestic
  partner.

Question 16

Types of Couple Violence

Answer 16

There are three major types of
violence in romantic couples:

• Situational couple violence erupts from specific angry arguments that get out of hand.
• ** Intimate terrorism** occurs when one partner uses violence as a tool to control and oppress the other.
• Violent resistance occurs when a partner forcibly fights back against intimate terrorism

Question 17

Victim Characteristics

Answer 17

• young females
• young men

the least: women minorities(probably because of gap in reporting)

Question 18

Power and Control Wheel

how u get to violenve

Answer 18

using intimidation > using emotional abuse > using isolation > minimazing,denaying and blaming > using children > using ‘‘male’’ privilage > using economic abuse > using coercion and threat

Question 19

Where is
Relational
Violence Less
Likely?

Answer 19

• In cultures promoting gender equality.
• In cultures that enjoy economic
  prosperity.
• In couples with good problem-solving skills.
• In couples who are committed to their relationship.
• In couples who are conscientious and have high self-control.
• More so among spouses than among cohabiting couples.
• In people who are sober.