Key Relationship Theories Essay

The reward/ need satisfaction theory (RNS) was devised by Byron & Clore (1970) to explain the formation of romantic relationships, based on the principles of behavioral psychology. According to the theory, people form relationships with those who are most rewarding/ satisfying to be with which happens through conditioning. The elements of Skinner's operant conditioning proposes that we repeat behaviors with positive outcomes (rewards) and avoid those with negative outcomes (punishments). Relationships positively reinforce by our partner satisfying our needs/rewarding us (through love or attention), but negative reinforcement also plays a part in the likelihood of formation as a relationship avoid us feeling lonely which both result in us

Robert Sternberg created his triangular theory of love based on three dimensions: passion, intimacy, and commitment. The degree to which a relationship demonstrates these three dimensions determines the type of love relationship. People begin love relationships with those who care for them as children. These early relationships can have a great effect on their adult relationships.

Take, for example, two co-workers who have started interacting more often outside work. One has grown very comfortable in their new-found friendship, and has moved past their professional reservations. They are very open about their thoughts and feelings, and believe the other person to be in a similar place, they regard the relationship as an I-Thou relationship. However, the second individual still views the relationship as more professional and is not comfortable disclosing their true feelings, and they instead maintain the friendly veneer of the typical I-You relationship.

As with playing the “What If” game (asking “what if” incessantly to explore each aspect of a situation), so did a chain of events occur that caused this relationship to form.

It is often said that all good things come to an end. Relationships come and go, and some mean more than others. In fact, there was even a relationship model developed by a communication researcher by the name of Mark Knapp. In his model, he goes through what seems to be presented as a smooth step transition from each stage in which a relationship eventually evolves into. As I studied this up then down ladder model, I began to realize that I ought to build up some strong calf muscles, because my relationship sure has climbed up and down a few flights of stairs. Mark Knapp believes that relationships go through multiple stages, the uphill stages being initiation, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding, then relational maintenance. On the flip side, Knapp believes the descending stages to be differentiating, circumscribing, avoiding, and eventually, termination.

Realizing, however, that the stages don't always progress in sequence and can overlap can help give one a general idea of how their relationship came together, fell apart, and then was reborn.

This point demonstrates the initial part of Knapp’s relationship Model. According to Knapp’s initial stage, people are more concerned with

Lee's stage model shows how relationships breakdown. He felt that the break up of a relationship is a process over a period of time and that there are five stages to it: The dissatisfaction, Exposure, negotiation, resolution attempt and termination phases. Explain further These stages explain how the stages contribute towards the break up of a relationship that, neither the exchange or equity theory does. However the exchange theory can be supported by Rubults research study.

Taken directly from Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, this definition states in clear, scientific terms what attraction is. However, as every human knows, the power of attraction goes far beyond this cut and dried statement, reaching deep into our psyche, as well into our past. In this paper, the processes of attraction, its evolutionary roots and modern day implications are studied, in an attempt to answer the question "what causes us to be attracted to someone"?

The stages of relationship development are initiating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, and bonding. An initiation stage in Ben and Katie's marriage is when they first met. Katie was hired to work as a temp in a comedy show. Ben started to throw paperclips at her and that is when they first interacted. An experimenting stage was when they went out to eat and Ben asked Katie about her interest in creating word puzzles. This is experimenting because they are getting to know one another by questioning. An intensifying stage is when he came over to pick up his dry cleaning, and he told her that his low was every second of the last two weeks they were parted when their children were at camp. This is intensifying because Ben is sharing in-depth

A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation

Two types of goals that Fitzsimons and Bargh focus their study on are academic and social goals. The two researchers tested their idea by having students participate in a questionnaire that asked participants to list four personal goals that they associated with their mother, romantic partner,

Now, you often see this in quite clear stages through a relationship which has these strong Saturn aspects. You know, in the beginning there can be almost a reluctance to enter into a relationship or a commitment with another person, because it’s setting off

Before we get into talking about my personal relationship, lets talk about Knapp’s relationship Model and how it applies to building and developing a relationship. The model shows us the factors that make a relationship grow and also what factor makes a relationship end. In his coming together stage it start out with initiation, in this stage it all making the first impression on a

To explain human relationships further, the social exchange theory can be another definite explanation to help distinguish how we feel to be with other people and how one perceives to be with them, either to rekindle their relationship or to question the decisions that make to be in a relationship (Kelley 1959). The social exchange theory can be defined as a term that allows behaviour to be exchanged to allow a relationship between two people to happen (Huston et al., 2013). An individual social life involves interactions between two people which can be viewed as social exchanges in terms of costs and benefits (Nakagawa et al., 2013). By taking the view of human relationships the social exchange theory argues that individuals engage in a cost benefit analysis which forms their relationship with others (Milkie et al., 2004). When the costs and benefits are equal in a relationship, it is defined as equitable (Siddiqui 2008). Moreover, romantic relationships may be difficult for some people as it involves interpersonal skills in order to make them mutually satisfying therefore requires constant maintenance. Recently, Psychologists have begun to look at the breakdown of relationships and the characteristics which requires them to fail. The breakdown of relationship is a theory which explains the failure of certain human relationships and the factors that may be involved such as lack