AQA A Level Psychology 3.3.2 Relationships Exam Questions

About AQA A Level Psychology 3.3.2 Relationships

Relationships is one of the three choices in Option 1 on AQA A Level Paper 3, Issues and Options. It explains why we are attracted to some people, how romantic relationships are maintained and why they break down. You study sexual selection, self-disclosure, physical attractiveness and filter theory, then social exchange theory, equity theory, Rusbult's investment model and Duck's phase model. You also study virtual relationships in social media and parasocial relationships with celebrities. The topic links to evolutionary psychology in the biological approach and to the internal working model in attachment. Examiners usually ask for descriptions of a theory and an extended essay evaluating it.

What you need to know

• Evolutionary explanations Sexual selection explains human reproductive behaviour through intrasexual selection (competing with the same sex, linked to male strategies) and intersexual selection (preferences of the other sex, linked to female choosiness). Buss (1989) surveyed 37 cultures and found men valued youth and attractiveness, women resources.
• Factors affecting attraction Self-disclosure in social penetration theory (Altman and Taylor) increases intimacy through breadth and depth. Physical attractiveness includes the halo effect and the matching hypothesis (Walster et al., 1966). Filter theory (Kerckhoff and Davis, 1962) involves social demography, similarity in attitudes and complementarity.
• Exchange and equity theories Social exchange theory (Thibaut and Kelley) focuses on rewards, costs, comparison level and comparison level for alternatives. Equity theory says dissatisfaction comes from perceived unfairness, whether under-benefitting or over-benefitting.
• Investment model Rusbult's investment model says commitment depends on satisfaction, comparison with alternatives and investment size, including intrinsic and extrinsic investments.
• Duck's phase model Breakdown passes through intrapsychic, dyadic, social and grave-dressing phases, with a resurrection phase added later by Rollie and Duck (2006).
• Virtual and parasocial relationships Virtual relationships involve self-disclosure, reduced cues theory and the hyperpersonal model, and absence of gating. Parasocial relationships have levels from entertainment-social to intense-personal to borderline-pathological (McCutcheon et al., 2002), and are explained by the absorption-addiction model and attachment theory.

Common mistakes in 3.3.2 Relationships

• Writing that filter theory filters by physical attractiveness; its filters are social demography, similarity in attitudes and complementarity.
• Confusing comparison level with comparison level for alternatives; CL is what we think we deserve, CLalt is whether another relationship would be better.
• Describing equity theory as wanting equal rewards; it is about the fairness of the ratio of rewards to costs for each partner.
• Missing out the resurrection phase or confusing the order of Duck's phases.
• Evaluating evolutionary explanations only as 'reductionist' without discussing evidence such as Buss or the role of culture.

Try three 3.3.2 Relationships exam-style questions