Two Theories of the Formation of Relationships Essay Example for Free

Two Theories of the Formation of Relationships Essay There are two theories of the formation of romantic relationships, which are the reward/need satisfaction theory by Byrne and Clore (1970) and the similarity theory also by Byrne and Clore with Smeaton (1986). The similarity theory promotes liking. It suggests that we are attracted to people with similar personalities and attitudes to us and that we first sort potential partners for dissimilarity avoiding those whose personality or attitudes appear too different from our own. This suggests that we form relationships due to similarity. Research to support this theory can be seen by Caspi and Herbener (1990). They found that married couples with similar personalities tend to be happier then couples with less similar personalities. This suggests that similarity is important and often the rule for long term relationships. The similarity theory is based on the social approach which fails to consider the cognitive thought process, meaning that the theory assumes that we form relationships based upon similarities. Another criticism is of the determinist view this theory takes. This means that it takes away a person’s ability to make their own decisions therefore it is deterministic. The theory does not consider not consider that often some couples who are completely opposite in personality and attitudes. This means that theory cannot account for everyone. However the theory is widely recognised as its principles are used on dating websites which match up partners according to how similar they are to each other. Yoshida (1972) pointed out that this represents only a very narrow view of factors important in relationship formation as similarity of self-concept, economic level and physical condition being equally important. This research is backed up by Speakman et al (2007) who found that people often choose partners with similar levels of body fat. This shows that similar personality and attitudes are not the only factors in the formation of relationships. The reward/need satisfaction theory is a far better explanation of the formation of romantic relationships. This theory suggests that we are attracted to people who we find satisfying or gratifying to be with. The theory is also based on the principles of operant conditioning as we seek rewarding stimuli and avoid punishing stimuli, and classical conditioning due to attraction through association. Also we like people who are associated with pleasant events such as a holiday. The theory suggests that we go into relationships because the presence of some individuals is directly associated with reinforcements which makes them more attractive to us. Byrne and Clore also suggested that we like people who are associated with pleasant events and that the balances of positive and negative feelings are crucial in relationships. This means that where the positive feelings outweigh the negative feelings a relationship is more likely to develop and succeed whereas where the negative feelings outweigh the positive feelings are likely to fail. This theory can be criticised for not explaining abusive relationships as these types of relationships still form despite the partner receiving punishing stimuli from that relationship. It also does not account for cultural and gender differences in the formation of relationships. For example, Lott (1994) suggested that in many cultures women are more focused on the need of others rather than receiving reinforcements. Also this research used a survey and is therefore subjected to social desirability bias.

Analysis of the Television Show, Girlfriends Essay -- Girlfriends Medi

Analysis of the Television Show, Girlfriends The T.V show " Girlfriends" is very eye catching for young women between the ages of 16-35. It deals with girl related issues, for example: what am i going to wear on my first date, or do i look fat? These are some of the topics friends talk about. The show is based on four African American women who have been friends since early childhood, it takes place now in the present. The girls are in there mid-20's-early 30's. The characters names are Jone, Tony, Mya, and Lin. Some of the topics which they talk about include marrige, finnancial problems, legal issues, children, and fashion. Jone is a highly known attourney, Mya is Jone's secretary, Tony is a real estate agent, and Lin is a free soul. In the show Tony and Jone are having relationship problems, and Mya is envious of the new secretary that Jone has because she misses the relationship that her and Jone use to have between each other. Mya also loves the gossip in which her and Jone used to share, they share it now and then but not as frequent as they used to. Tony and her husband are having finnancial problems because her husband has gotten into a huge debt due to the fact that she is a very high matenance type of woman. Her wedding ring alone cost fifty thousand dollars, she believes that if he is poor then they cannot be together because she cannot live a poor life. After she finds out that they are very deep in debt she wants to file for a divorse. He makes her re...

Compensation Practice

Wall-Mart applies the compensation strategy of offering the workers the lower limit of wages allowed by the law, but misstating for the same through offering its employees with an insurance scheme (Wilkes, 2013). In this respect, while the employees may not be benefiting greatly in financial terms, the future of such employees is well covered, due to the fact that they have been provided with an insurance cover that addresses their needs beyond the monthly pay checks (Wilkes, 2013).However, the Wall-Mart strategy has been termed as unsuitable both for the employees and the economy, since it is a strategy that seeks to categorize the workforce of the organization as an expense that needs to be minimized Wilkes, 2013). This concept is harmful both to the employee motivation and to the public perception, owing to the fact that treating the workforce as an expense that must be kept under control does not work well either with the employees or the public perception, which in turn adversel y affects the sales of the organization directly (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 2013).Thus, while the Wall-Mart compensation strategy has enabled it to keep its expenses low and thus maximize its profitability, it might have even been more damaging than already thought, if the strategy is analyzed from the employee nutrition and the customer perception point of view.Further, the Wall- Mart compensation strategy has emerged to be damaging to the reputation and the goodwill of the company amongst the public and the customers, owing to the fact that it is perceived to transfer the burden of changing hard economic times directly to the employees, by causing them to suffer low wages, so that the company can maintain its profitability levels, as they were during the good economic times (Wilkes, 2013).How Wall-Mart applies compensation practice to determine the positive or negative impact to the many and its stakeholders The effect of the negative perceptions of the customers and the genera l public is to make the organization owners and the top leadership and management to come out as greedy and unethical, which in turn is a turn off for many potential customers of the organization (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 2013).Most importantly is the distinction between the concept of low wages and low labor costs. The fact that an organization offers low wages to Its workforce does not mean that such an organization will in turn incur low labor costs (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 013). This is because, while the low wages may be an alternative for reducing expenses, the costs associated with the labor turnover might exceed the benefit derived from offering low wages (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 2013).Thus, Wall-Mart is an organization that is being faced by the challenge of high employee turn-over, owing to the fact that most of its employees are dissatisfied with the conditions of work and the low wages offered by the organization, such that they tend to quit the job at the rise of any other viable alternative, forcing the organization to engage in a continuous cycle of hiring and employment recruitment, which in turn drives the costs of labor higher (Wilkes, 2013).A recent study has shown that while Wall-Mart offers low wages compared to Cost, Quick Trip and Trader Joey's, the organization incurs an overall high cost of labor compared to these organizations, thus in turn earning low profitability margin (Alter, 2013). The study has indicated that the cost of labor turnover at Cost is 17%, compared to the cost of labor turnover at Wall-Mart, which stands at 44% (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 2013).The overall effect of this study is to show that the compensation strategy for Wall- Mart might be considered to deliver positive results by lowering the expenses associated with the employee wages, but the overall effect is that the company continues to incur very high cost than it would be incurring, if it paid good wages for its employees (Alter, 2013). The other important aspect to consider in the Wall-Mart's compensation strategy is its effect on the employees' productivity.A well paid employee is a productive employee, since such an employee is enthusiastic and motivated about his work, and thus applies extra effort to ensure that the employer will also benefit from the show of goodwill and appreciation of the employee services. In this respect, the study indicated that the productivity of the employees at Wall- Mart was much lower compared to that of Cost, owing to the fact that the profit per employee in Wall-Mart was $11 ,039 compared to that of Cost, which was $13, 647 per employee (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 2013).Thus, the compensation strategy of Wall-Mart is wanting, and as a result needs to be changed so that it can enable both the organization and the workforce to reap higher benefits from their relationship. The ways in which laws, labor unions, and market factors impact the Wall-Mart compensation practices Wall-Mart c ompensation practices have been affected greatly by laws, labor unions and market factors, such that for example, in 2005, labor unions created organizations and launched internet and social media campaign to criticize Wall-Mart for its poor treatment of employees in wages and conditions of work (Atchison, Belcher & Thomson, 2013).The law has also been on collision course in several occasions with Wall-Mart, where it has been investigated for possible prosecution for both monopolistic tendencies and unlawful treatment of its workforce (Green, 2003). The market forces have also been of great influence to the Wall-Mart business, through causing the organization to earn low profitability as a result of economic recession, thus in turn paying low wages for its workforce (Wilkes, 2013). The effectiveness of traditional bases for pay at the Wall-Mart The rotational bases for pay are still applicable for Wall-Mart, although selectively.

How to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay - 1250 Words

â€Å"How to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis?† â€Å"How to solve the foreclosure crisis?† This is a very troubling question currently facing our country today. The foreclosure crisis fueled by subprime mortgages, was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Many Americans hold large mortgages with adjustable rates that continue to increase. It was only a matter of time before the market would come tumbling down. From 2008 until now the national unemployment rate has risen from 5-6% to about 10.2% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). With unemployment rates continuing to climb, more and more Americans are stuck in large mortgages with no means to pay them. Many of these debtors are faced with mortgages that are greater than the values of their homes due†¦show more content†¦After the market crashed back in September of 2008 housing prices came crashing down as well. The fair value or market value of these mortgages was well below the purchase price for these homes. This left many debtors stuck with mortgages worth mo re than the value of their homes. Homeowners have no incentive to continue to make large mortgage payments on homes that are valued at less than their current mortgages. This situation has caused many homeowners to default or short-sell their homes in order to get out of these mortgage agreements. In addition, growing unemployment has caused many homeowners with subprime mortgage agreements to default as well. Substantial impairment has resulted throughout the United States due to the decline in market value of homes. In this situation banks and other creditors are faced with suffering a loss no matter what the circumstance. Forcing many homeowners into foreclosure will leave millions homeless. The loss due to the decline in market price of homes will be passed back to the creditors, since homeowners will not have the money to pay back their outstanding mortgages. It is very doubtful that creditors will be able to recover their losses by selling repossessed homes at auction. In my o pinion these creditors and banks best option is to work with American homeowners and offer some sort of debt restructuringShow MoreRelatedHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis1218 Words   |  5 PagesHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis The foreclosure crisis in our country has implemented a domino effect that may take years before we note any positive changes. As the country begins to heal, an effective process and/or program must be implemented that will reduce or eliminate foreclosures. It is important to remember that purchasing and maintaining a home is a part of the â€Å"American Dream,† and when working class families cannot seem to manage without loss of pride and dignity, then the dreamRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis1146 Words   |  5 PagesHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis An important step in solving the foreclosure crisis is to provide assistance to mortgagees in making the monthly loan payments; this assistance should be in place before the first loan payment is due. One solution in providing assistance, which would not require any additional governmental funds to be spent, would be a mandatory mortgage equity accelerator program for every new loan written. A mortgage equity enhancement program allows a thirty year mortgageRead MoreHow To Solve The Foreclosure Crisis1443 Words   |  6 PagesHOW TO SOLVE THE FORECL0SURE CRISIS 2009 was a record breaking year for foreclosures in the United States. The perfect storm of high unemployment, tightening credit, decreasing real estate values and cataclysmic stock market crash resulted in millions of homeowners defaulting on their mortgages. What are the solutions to this problem? Some would argue that the government should intervene and help homeowners. Those with a more â€Å"free market† or laissez faire approach would contend that the governmentRead MoreHOW TO SOLVE THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS1793 Words   |  8 PagesHOW TO SOLVE THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS What do we think when we hear the word â€Å"foreclosure†? Most people realize that it’s definitely something that is not good, some say that it’s when someone fails to do something, but those people don’t really know the meaning of it. But before I present my idea let’s review the meaning of such process: From the website of InvestorWords.com foreclosure Definition The legal process by which an owners right to a property is terminated, usually dueRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis2207 Words   |  9 PagesThe foreclosure crisis has become as confounding as the old, neglected house on the corner of your street. With shattered windows and wild lawn, no one knows what to do with it, how to save it or even get rid of it. Public and private institutions have tried this and that to patch the ongoing economic blight: lowered interest rates, credit counseling, foreclosure workshops, short sales and bailouts. Nevertheless, the number of foreclosures has relentlessly continued its climb. This ascent hasRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis977 Words   |  4 PagesThe economic crisis that has occurred in the recent years and that has consistently worsened over past year or so has led to many other problems, one of which is the foreclosure crisis. More and more people are losing their homes due to job loss or simply poor financial choices. The number of unemployed and homeless is increasing at an alarming rate. Many feel like there is nothing that can be done to remedy the situation, especially when the enormous debt that the United States has already accumulatedRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1297 Words   |  6 PagesHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Imagine a young couple was married and bought a house together. They were happy they made an investment together that they would never regret. A few years later, the company the husband worked for suffered critically by the recession and he was one of the hundreds of people who got their job cut. They now have two babies to feed and have to choose between food and the mortgage. They soon began to miss their monthly payments. They waited until things becameRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay2252 Words   |  10 Pagesdollars funded by investments and home purchases were lost within a few months (Wikipedia.org: United States housing bubble). Millions of home owners were found to be unable to pay their mortgages, leading to hundreds of thousands of foreclosures. These foreclosures not only led to the decrease in value of the foreclosed homes, but also decreased the value of the homes in the neighborhoods, complexes and cul-de-sacs around them (zillow.com). The billion d ollar industry created by the fruitful housingRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1086 Words   |  5 PagesThe solution to the Foreclosure Crisis is the implementation of continual, mandatory education classes that must be attended and passed, or penalties will be applied to the homeowners. A little tough love from the lender and the government is necessary. Just as our parents follow through and continue to teach us throughout our lives, so must the lenders and the government take the time to â€Å"sit† every homeowner down to make them learn and realize that being a homeowner comes with big responsibilitiesRead MoreHow to Solve The Foreclosure Crisis Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pageshaving to deal with a major foreclosure crisis. According to studies by the Mortgage Bankers Association, one out of every 200 homes will eventually be foreclosed, and 250,000 families enter into foreclosure every three months. Although the worst times are still in our future, w ith help from the United States government, we as citizens will eventually overcome the horrendous situation of America’s current real estate market. To combat our nation’s foreclosure crisis, I believe it is necessary to