Transcript Chapter 6 Lecture - My Illinois State

Chapter 6
Affection, Immediacy
and Social Support
 Guerrero et
al. use the term closeness throughout
chapter 6.
 Note that some scholars refer to closeness as intimacy.
 Intimacy refers to feelings of warmth, trust, and deep
caring in close relationships.
 Interaction plays a key role in creating and
sustaining intimacy as well as closeness.
 Physical
 Touching, close proximity,
time together,
sexual closeness
 Emotional
 Sharing, caring, and deep conversations
 Relational
 Interdependence and overlap (selfexpansion)
 Does

a relationship need all three?
What if one form is not possible?

e.g., Physical closeness and LDR
 Three
broad categories:
 Affectionate communication
 Immediacy behavior
 Social support
 Behavior
that portrays feelings of
fondness and positive regard to another.
 Signals potential increases in closeness
but when withdrawn can signal
decreases in closeness
 Paradox of affection
Usually positive, but sometimes it can
backfire.
 Examples??

 Direct and verbal affectionate communication
 Doesn’t have the ambiguity of nonverbal messages
 I like you, I love you, I am in love with you
 Types: self-disclosure, direct emotional expression, compliments
& praise, assurances (relationship talk)
 Direct

and nonverbal affectionate communication
Social meaning model of nonverbal communication



Can we tell when a hug or smile is not genuine?
What are the social cues?
Less ambiguous cues include:
 Physical contact and distancing
 Eye behavior
 Vocalic behavior (tone, rate, pitch)
 Indirect and
nonverbal affectionate
communication

Support behaviors


Emotional and instrumental
Idiomatic behaviors

Behaviors move from scripted to idiomatic (meaning only
known to couple)
Affection
Exchange Theory (Floyd)
 Biologically adaptive behavior that aided early
survival
 Reproductive advantage
1. relationships provide resources, help, protection
 2. displays of affection signal potential
mating/parenting skills
 3. viability and fertility
 Affection to children and larger family make
them more likely to survive and reproduce
 Displays own potential as sexual partner

 Related to


People who receive affection are happier, more selfconfident, less stressed, more likely to engage in social
activity, and better general mental health.
People who give affection are happier, have higher selfesteem, less fear of intimacy, less susceptibility to
depression, and greater relationship satisfaction.
 Related to

mental health
physical health
Hormones are produced that increase positive moods and
decrease blood pressure and blood sugar, and lower heart
rate (study--kissing lead to healthier levels of cholesterol!)
 Children think
affection is limited and must compete
for it—parents see it as unlimited.
 Sexual and genetic bonds predict affection displays



Biological children over step children
More with spouses than siblings
But siblings more than siblings-in-law.
 Actions that
signal warmth, communicate
availability, decrease psychological or physical
distance, and promote involvement between
people.

Also called, “positive involvement behaviors”
 Immediacy refers to
a style of communication that
is relevant to a variety of interaction contexts (not
just close relationships)

e.g., ????
Verbal


Immediacy
Word choice
Forms of address


Formal to informal
Public to idiosyncratic
 Depth of disclosure

Ironically, close relationships are the place where we can let down
the “smiley face” somewhat, but too much negative emotion
disclosure can be a problem
 Relationship indicators

Friends, dating, hanging out, boyfriend-girlfriend,
partners
Nonverbal Immediacy

A Gestalt—processed in Context
 Visual
or Oculesic Behaviors
Eye contact and gaze
 Pupil dilation

 Spatial
or Proxemic Behaviors
Intimate and personal distances
 Body angle

 Tactile
or Haptic Behaviors
Touch helps escalate romantic relationships
 Hugs, kisses, and touches to the face are especially
affectionate and immediate

 Body




Movement or Kinesics
Nodding
Open and relaxed body positions
Smiling
Body synchrony
 Vocalic


Communication
Animation in pitch, rate, amplitude, and duration
Vocal warmth
 Chronemic Behaviors


Spending time together
Waiting for someone and being on time
 Behavior
(A increases immediacy)
 Perception (Does B recognize the display?)


If no recognition, then no effect
If yes, then B experiences arousal
 Arousal Level (Experienced by



B)
Low arousal = no effect
Moderate arousal activates cognitive schemata
High arousal = fear, stress
 Cognitive






+
Schemata (Valencers)
Cultural appropriateness
Personal predispositions
Interpersonal valence, rewardingness
Relational appropriateness
Situational appropriateness
Psychological or physical state
valence for all 6 schemata = + relational
outcomes
 - valence for any of the 6 schemata = - relational
outcomes
 Positive Relational



Outcomes
Favorable appraisals of partner
Reciprocity, increase immediacy toward partner
Enhance relational growth, closeness
 Negative Relational



Outcomes
Unfavorable appraisals of partner
Compensation, reduction in immediacy toward partner
Reduction in relational closeness, disengagement
Invisible Support
Through caring actions (routine affectionate behaviors)
Keeps problem in background
Person still feels capable
Both for practical and emotional support
Effective when responsive (communicates
understanding, caring, and validation of partner)
High person-centered messages
acknowledge and validate the feelings and
concerns of the distressed person
Moderate person-centered messages
acknowledge the distressed person’s feelings,
but do not help him/her contextualize or
elaborate feelings
Low person-centered messages
implicitly or explicitly deny the legitimacy of the
distressed person’s feelings.
To comfort a roommate after a breakup—(p. 145)
 Hugs
41.9%
 Close proxemic distance
40.9%
 Facial expression
38.7%
 Attentiveness
37.7%
 Touch
34.4%
 Pats
26.9%
 Eye contact
23.7%
 Both
men and women value intimate relationships,
though men may be more socialized into task
relationships (historically)
 Men friends show intimacy primarily through shared
interests and activities (agentic friendships)
 Women friends show intimacy primarily through selfdisclosure and intimate nonverbal communication
(expressive friendships)
 Men display more intimate communication with women
than men. (Why?)
 Overall, the differences between men and women small