A Sociological Approach to Love and Romantic Relationships Chapter 7

Discussion Outline I. The Sociology of Love and Relationships II. What is Love III. Relationship Rituals IV. Mate Selection

Love and Sociology What is intimate, personal, and individual, is connected to the wider society Love and the sociological imagination C. Wright Mills The ways couples meet, form relationships, and fall in love change across time I.e.: Jason and Liz on pg 225

Scripting Diversity Social Script A commonly understood pattern of interaction that serves as a model of behavior in familiar situations Are there scripts for dating? For falling in love? For meeting a mate? What have been the social scripts of the past? What are they now? There is more diversity now in how relationships are begun and built…

Changing Social Scripts 4 Developments… The demise of the dating system as the dominant mode of relationship formation The increasing acceptance of living together as a common stage in relationships The incorporation of divorced and older singles into the mix of those looking for new relationships The continual adaptation of communication technology to relationship dynamics, increasing the immediacy of the interaction

Love How would Darwin explain the evolution of love? Love A deep affection and concern for another, with whom one feels a strong emotional bond Romantic Love The passionate devotion and attraction one person feels for another The expectation that couples would love one another was not common before the 1600’s Are cultural scripts of romantic love realistic? Does love change over time?

The Two Cultures of Love Existing side by side… It can’t always be butterflies and bliss… Romantic love and Utilitarian love The practical, rational dedication of one person to another based on shared understanding and emotional commitment

Relationship Rituals From Arranged marriages. To courtship. To dating. To going steady. To??? What does “dating” mean? What does “hooking up” mean? Subjectivity What people consider normal changes from person to person, era to era, and society to society Religion-Race-Social Class-Age-Country Who pursues? Who asks? Who pays? Who initiates? How many dates?

Relationship Rituals

Changing Rituals and New Research Older Singles and Single Parents New editions to the dating scene Gay and Lesbian Relationships Difficulties and barriers? Modifying hetero scripts

Proms and Changing Laws Segregated Proms? The symbolism of prom Same Sex high school Relationships?

Mate Selection The process by which people choose each other for sexual or romantic relationships How does mate selection influence the broader society with regard to: Inequality Social Distance-Inclusion vs exclusion Family dynamics

Mate Selection and Attraction What attracts people to one another? Biology/Evolution based explanations Hip to waist ratio? Sociological based explanations High Heels and Bound feet? Social Construction of Beauty.

Mate Selection and Attraction Race/Ethnicity Homophily Endogamy Online Endogamy