Predicting Relational Instability *

Question 1

Types of Marriage

Answer 1

• unhappy-stable: high maritial stability, low maritial quality
• Unhappy- unstable: low maritial unstable, low maritial quality
• happy- stable: high stability,high quality
• happy-unstablehigh in quality,low in stability

Question 2

Levinger’s Attraction-Barrier Model of
Marital Cohesiveness

Answer 2

Attraction + Barriers + (Alternatives - Alternative barrier) = Maritial cohesivness

• Based on social exchange theory
• Attraction: These are the positive aspects of the marriage that draw the partners together. They can include things like love,financial security,children,social family ties
• Barriers: These are the obstacles that prevent a couple from separating, even if the attractions diminish. They can include: financial dependecy,religion,legal issues,fear of lonliness
• Alternatives: These are the potential rewards or benefits that a person might experience outside of the marriage
• Alternative barriers: making it harder to leave, they strengthen the alternatives for ex: your mistress gets pregnant (pull factor)

Question 3

Lewis and Spanier’s Model of Marital Quality
and Marital Stability

Answer 3

• maritial quality
• • Under conditions of low marital quality this is when external pressures matter
• maritial stability

+ alternative attraction
+external pressures

Question 4

Johnson’s
Commitment Model

Answer 4

• Similar to other two models just has the morality piece
• personal commitment+ Moral commitment + structural commitment = reletionship maintanace dissolution

Question 5

Models of
Marital
Change

Question 6

Emergent Distress
Model

Answer 6

Assumes all marriages begin with high levels of positive factors (e.g., love, affection, trust, intimacy)

Negative factors erode the positive aspects of marriage over time (e.g., contempt, criticizing, defensiveness, and stonewalling –
Gottman)

Higher amounts of negative interaction leads to divorce

Question 7

Disillusionment
Model

Answer 7

Assumes all marriages begin with
high levels of positive factors

Individuals idealize their partners
and fail to see their shortcomings

Over time they are unable to
maintain the illusion leading to
declines in affection which in turn leads to divorce

Question 8

Enduring Dynamics
Model

Answer 8

Begin marriage with a realistic view of partner

Behavioral patterns in courtship
continue into marriage

Thus, rocky courtships (e.g., high conflict) lead to a rocky marriage and perhaps divorce

Question 9

Accommodation Models

Question 10

Vulnerability-stress-adaptation model

Answer 10

Some people enter marriages with enduring vulnerabilities (e.g., poor social skills, dysfunctional attitudes)

These interact with life circumstances

Failure to cope with stress -> increases stress -> marital dissatisfaction -> divorce

Success of adaptation is based on the
nature of the stressful event & the
enduring vulnerabilities present