Chapter 10 – Staying Close
Test Questions
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following was not discussed in the textbook as a way of defining relational
maintenance?
a. keeping a relationship in existence
2. Talking about the future of the relationship falls under the maintenance behavior called:
d. social networking
3. Which of the following behaviors is the best example of the maintenance behavior called
positivity?
a. planning separate activities
4. Which of the following behaviors is a prosocial maintenance behavior?
a. allowing control
5. In which situation are people LEAST likely to use antisocial maintenance behaviors?
d. When they want to control the partner.
6. The text book summarizes a study that compared maintenance behavior in virtual,
Pinocchio, cyber-emigrant, and real-world relationships. According to this study, the
amount of maintenance behavior people use is best predicted by:
a. modality
7. Which of the following statements is FALSE:
a. Routine behaviors are generally more important for maintaining relationships than are
strategic behaviors.
8. Although gay and lesbian couples report using many of the same maintenance behaviors
as straight couples, _____________________ is especially important for maintaining gay
and lesbian relationships.
a. self-disclosure
9. Which of the following maintenance behaviors do men friends use more than women
friends?
a. openness (self-disclosure)
10. According to research discussed in the textbook, the #1 activity that middle school and
high school girls would hate to have to give up is:
a. playing computer games
11. Maureen and Michael are platonic cross-sex friends. Maureen’s boyfriend gets jealous
when she spends a lot of time with Michael; and Michael constantly has to explain to
everyone that he is not interested in Maureen in a romantic way. The challenge they are
dealing with is:
a. the emotional bond challenge
12. Tyler and Brianna are best friends, but sometimes they can’t help thinking about each
other as potential romantic partners rather than friends. The challenge they are dealing
with is:
d. the public presentation challenge
13. Which type of cross-sex friendship has been found to contain the most maintenance
behavior?
a. strictly platonic
14. A “friends with benefits” relationship is different from a “romantic relationship” because:
a. of the sexual nature of the romantic relationship.
15. According to research reported in your text book, the biggest disadvantage that college
students associate with friends with benefits relationships is that:
a. there are risks associated with having sex.
16. Which of the following statements about friends with benefits relationships is FALSE
according to the research reported in your text book?
a. Women tend to emphasize the “friends” part of the relationship, whereas men tend to
emphasize the “benefits” part of the relationship
17. Research suggests that the most common reason cross-sex friends keep their relationship
platonic is:
d. because they do not want a romantic relationship with anyone at the present time.
18. The concept of ___________________ has been used to explain why some couples
become disillusioned and less relationally satisfied when their formerly long distance
relationships become proximal.
a. possessive jealousy
19. In terms of sex differences in maintenance behaviors, the authors of your text book takes
the position that:
a. Men and women are from different galaxies.
20. Which of the following statements is NOT one of the principles of equity theory as
presented in your textbook?
a. People in groups and dyads develop rules for distributing resources fairly.
21. Tim receives 30 benefits for every 15 contributions he makes to his relationship with
Sarah. Sarah, on the other hand, receives 25 benefits for every 5 contributions she makes.
According to equity theory:
a. Tim is over benefitted and Sarah is underbenefitted.
22. An under benefitted person is more likely than an over benefitted person to:
d. a and b
23. An over benefitted person is more likely than an underbenefitted person to:
a. be happy
24. Based on the basic principles of equity theory, which of the following men would be
dissatisfied with his relationship?
a. Terrell, whose partner lets him makes all the decisions and does all the cooking and
cleaning for him.
25. Your textbook reports that rather than valuing equity, people in Asia and Eastern believe
that:
d. resources should be distributed based on social class rather than the number of
contributions people make.
26. According to research discussed in the text, which of the following strategies is an
effective means of restoring equity?
a. An over benefited person starts to put less into the relationship.
27. Which of the following is true of cohabiting couples?
a. Cohabitating couples are less likely to break up than married couples are to divorce.
True/False
28. Married people tend to report being happier and more satisfied with their lives than do
single people.
29. Marital satisfaction increases after parenthood.
30. Cohabitating couples who plan to get married are no more likely to get married that
cohabitating couples that do not plan to get married.
31. General equity (or inequity) represents an overall assessment of balance between two
people’s benefits and contributions.
32. A relationship can be unbalanced in terms of specific equity, but balanced overall.
33. Individuals in inequitable relationships experience more satisfaction.
34. People in Asia and Eastern Europe prefer equality over equity.
35. Around half of spouses report that their marriages are equitable.
36. Openness and social networking are two prosocial maintenance behaviors.
37. The amount of time people spend together is also negatively related to relational
satisfaction.
38. One study showed that college students text their romantic partners an average of 6 times
a day and call them on their cell phones 15 to 20 times a day.
39. Teens and young adults see their cell phones as critical for maintaining relationships and
keeping in contact with members of their social network.
Essay
40. List and describe four definitions of relationship maintenance. Argue for the definition
you prefer.
Ans: Varies
41. Describe the research on cohabitation with regard to relational satisfaction and relational
longevity. Be sure to compare cohabitators to married people.
Ans: Varies
42. What is equity theory and how can it be used to understand the following: a) fairness, b)
relational satisfaction, c) financial resources, and d) consequences of being
underbenefitted.
Ans: Varies
43. List and discuss five behaviors that you believe are most important in relationship
maintenance. Argue for the importance of each behavior.
Ans: Varies
44. What are prosocial maintenance10behaviors? List and discuss five of these.
Ans: Varies
