Psych Human Relations
8
8.1
PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
Introduction: What is the psychology of human relationships?
Examiner’s hint The command term to what extent asks you to make a judgement about the influence of factors from each level of analysis in this area. You will find it helpful as you work through this chapter to keep a record of what factors appear to be involved and whether there is good evidence for the importance of their role. It would be a good idea to keep a note of studies that you can evaluate. Sometimes, an evaluation is provided for you but sometimes you will need to apply your own evaluation skills to judge the quality of studies in this area.
Learning outcomes
The psychology of human relationships looks at the nature and causes of relationships between people. This includes the origins of attraction and friendship, the nature of romantic relationships, and how these relationships change and end. The darker side of human nature is also considered, with a focus on why we occasionally fail to help others in need or are violent towards others in our own social group. The ultimate aim of this study is to understand our relationships with others and to improve the quality of these relationships. As with other options topics, you are expected to pay attention to the relative contribution of the different levels of analysis to our understanding of human relationships. There is a significant contribution from evolutionary psychology in terms of why we engage in altruistic behaviour and why we are attracted to some people more than others. Cognitive models are used to describe the decision-making processes in bystander intervention, and in the origin and breakdown of relationships. There is a lot of research attempting to investigate the role of cultural factors in attraction and the formation of relationships. There is also a significant contribution from social and cultural norms to the occurrence of violence. Research supports most of the ideas covered
8.1
PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
Introduction: What is the psychology of human relationships?
Examiner’s hint The command term to what extent asks you to make a judgement about the influence of factors from each level of analysis in this area. You will find it helpful as you work through this chapter to keep a record of what factors appear to be involved and whether there is good evidence for the importance of their role. It would be a good idea to keep a note of studies that you can evaluate. Sometimes, an evaluation is provided for you but sometimes you will need to apply your own evaluation skills to judge the quality of studies in this area.
Learning outcomes
The psychology of human relationships looks at the nature and causes of relationships between people. This includes the origins of attraction and friendship, the nature of romantic relationships, and how these relationships change and end. The darker side of human nature is also considered, with a focus on why we occasionally fail to help others in need or are violent towards others in our own social group. The ultimate aim of this study is to understand our relationships with others and to improve the quality of these relationships. As with other options topics, you are expected to pay attention to the relative contribution of the different levels of analysis to our understanding of human relationships. There is a significant contribution from evolutionary psychology in terms of why we engage in altruistic behaviour and why we are attracted to some people more than others. Cognitive models are used to describe the decision-making processes in bystander intervention, and in the origin and breakdown of relationships. There is a lot of research attempting to investigate the role of cultural factors in attraction and the formation of relationships. There is also a significant contribution from social and cultural norms to the occurrence of violence. Research supports most of the ideas covered