Studies on Relationships

Studies on relationships are one of the most important aspects of psychology. This is because, not only does relationships influence people’s actions, they also occupy the bulk of people’s thoughts, speech and concerns (Cardwell & Flanagan, 2003). A relationship is widely know to be defined as a “regular social encounter over a period of time” (Argyle & Henderson, as cited in Willerton, 2010). A valid example from Willerton is that, when we are not dealing with our own personal relationships, we still discuss relationships of celebrities, as well as seeking out depictions of relationships in books and films. The three main aspects of the study of relationships can be broken down into the formation, the maintenance, and the breakdown of relationships. This essay will deal mainly with the first two aspects, which is the formation of relationships and the maintenance of relationships. Theories concerning formation and maintenance of relationships will be described to be thoroughly evaluated especially when trying to relate it to this time, which may not be similar to that of when the theories were introduced. In the formation of relationships, the theories discussed will be the sociobiological theory and the reinforcement/affect model, also known as reward/need satisfaction theory. In the maintenance of the relationship, theories such as the social exchange theory and the equity theory will be further explored and evaluated.

Sociobiological theory is based on the idea that when women and men are seeking out their mates, a characteristic they would be looking out for is with whom they would have the best reproductive success, specifically to produce viable offspring which is the basis of evolution (Cox, 2001). The main idea behind thi...

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...heory offers an evolutionary explanation of the formation of relationship which focuses on sexual relationships and gene survival. The other theory, which is the reinforcement/affect model outlines why a person would want to form relationship, limiting the focus on the rewards a person would obtain in forming the relationship. The economic theories, especially the social exchange theory, predicts the possibility of maintaining a relationship through the assessment of costs and rewards while the equity theory refines the focus to the fairness of the efforts and outcomes of the relationship (Cox, 2001). These theories however, as is most psychologist theories, only account for the majority and does not consider individual differences. Further research and improvement on these theories should be conducted as some have been considered outdated such as the equity theory.