With a more specific focus than the all-encompassing textbook, each title in the Foundations of Psychology series enables students who are new to psychology to get to grips with a key area of psychological research, while also developing an understanding of basic concepts, debates, and research methodologies. In this book Diana Jackson-Dwyer presents an introductory survey of classic and recent research on relationships and the theories that underpin them.
The book starts with a brief overview of the place of relationships within the history of psychology and of their evolutionary roots: our need to belong, to attach and to affiliate. After a look at methodology, it considers different types of relationships: kinship, friendship, loving and mating. Theories are advanced to explain the formation, maintenance and breakdown of relationships. The book draws on a wide array of contemporary research, and covers issues ranging from rising divorce rates to cultural variations in mating patterns, the issue of gay marriage, and the effect of the internet on relationships.
Each chapter contains numerous pedagogical features which will help students to engage with the material:
- Chapter-specific learning objectives and summaries of key points
- Study boxes presenting reflective exercises, research questions, and issues for discussion
- Glossaries and suggestions for further reading
Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, Interpersonal Relationships provides an accessible and up-to-date overview of this vibrant area of psychology. The book will be ideal reading for students who are new to higher-level study - whether at school, college or university, and will also be useful for first-year undergraduate students taking introductory courses in psychology.
1. In the beginning: the roots of relationships 2. Methodology in relationship research 3. Determinants of interpersonal attraction 4. Theories of Attraction 5. Types of Love 6. Types of Relationships 1- friendship and kinship 7. Types of Relationships 2: Loving and Mating 8. The Development of Relationships 9. The maintenance and effects of Relationships 10. The Deterioration of Relationships
Biography
Diana Jackson-Dwyer taught in Further Education for 20 years, during which time she was Head of Psychology organising a large team of lecturers and teaching psychology on a variety of courses. She is also an experienced examiner at GCSE and A-level, and has written psychology books and revision guides for a wide range of courses, including GCSE, criminal psychology and A-level.
This text is an engaging mixture of academic rigour and real human warmth. It introduces students to both classic and contemporary theories, for example the impact of social media on relationships, and the growing field of Positive Psychology, whilst giving instructors a framework within which to develop a sound appreciation of research methods in their students. The "Discuss and Debate" boxes are a great way to enable students to contextualise the material covered in their own lives, and so deepen their understanding for this most human of topics! - Lesley McHenry, Curriculum Manager for Psychology, Bilborough College, Nottingham
