Psychology 409b October 20, 2006
Natural Observation of Today’s Couples
By: Crystal Bulda
Instructions for this activity are found at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon James
Leon James and Diane Nahl (2000). Lecture Notes on the Unity Model of Marriage for G25. Unit 14. Online at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/409b-g25-lecture-notes.htm
I. Observing Dominant Model of Marriage
A. Gender politics in power sharing.
1. Man reserves the right to say no to the woman’s perceptions and intuition.
B. Joint activity unites them in the external sensorimotor self.
1. Man maintains separate thoughts and attitudes and resists her attempts to modify them.
C. Assigns a dominant role to the man and a submissive role to the woman.
1. Woman is forced by tradition and society to go along with the male dominant arrangement.
II. Observing Unity Model of Marriage
A. Never any anger, hostility, disagreement, or bickering between them.
B. United from the affective level outward to the cognitive and the sensorimotor.
C. Organic and has to do with reciprocity and mutuality.
1. Unit functioning as one person.
2. Reciprocal and mutual dependence of differentiated parts; each part functioning to contribute to the whole.
D. Women lead in certain areas in the relationship.
1. Man’s unrecognizable feelings of motivation.
2. His feelings that is competitive or hostile to her.
3. Man voluntarily submits to her pleadings and expectations.
E. United internally at the cognitive level and at the inmost affective level.
1. Husband allows his thinking to be influenced by his wife to achieve unity at the cognitive level.
2. Elevates her motivations and perceptions above his own to unite at the affective level.
F. Assigns lead role to the woman, from man’s voluntary submission to the wife’s affections and motivations.
G. Husband had to acknowledge all the ways he keeps himself affectively separate from his wife by self-witnessing.
Related Links:
http://psycprints.ecs.soton.ac.uk/archive/00000153/
Gender Roles, Romantic Movies, and Family Therapy- I found this site to be interesting where Kramer and Moore analyze novels, some of which are from Disney, to evaluate the gender roles in marriage that’s portrayed in them. The movies had portrayed gender inequality, the naturalization of behaviors of spousal behaviors, lack of congruent communication patterns between the partners, and the destructive messages that romantic novels depict.
http://www.takeninhand.com/node/554
Taken in Hands- This site defines a taken hands relationship as a male-controlled sexually and socially exclusive monogamous relationship in which the man’s power is real and for the purpose of creating a deeply connected, fully engaged relationship with a sexual connection. A man’s dominance role is assumed that it is for the benefit for the relationship rather than for self-serving. The woman is then assumed to respond to her man’s control.
http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/humanrel/gh6610.htm
Creating a Strong and Successful Marriage- On this site, a satisfying marriage is explained somewhat similar to the Unity model of marriage. A successful marriage includes high levels of positivity, empathy, commitment, acceptance, love and respect. There shouldn’t be negative interactions which involve criticizing, demanding, name-calling, holding grudges, or the relationship will suffer. The couple should take joy in each others achievements with positive interactions.
My Home Page:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409bf2006/bulda/bulda-home.htm
Class Home Page:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm