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3 Jan 2026
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AQA A Level Psychology: Relationship Revision Guide
M
Marisa Smith
@marisasmith_qauu
1 / 3
Sexual Selection and Attraction
Your brain is basically running ancient software when it comes to attraction. Sexual selection explains why certain traits become more exaggerated over time - they help people reproduce successfully. It all comes down to anisogamy: men can have children for decades whilst women have a more limited fertile window, making them a 'rarer resource'.
This creates different mating strategies. Women typically go for quality over quantity because they invest more time and energy (nine months of pregnancy, anyone?). Men often compete through displays of strength, resources, or risk-taking behaviour to catch female attention.
Physical attractiveness acts like an honest signal of genetic fitness. Research shows we're drawn to symmetrical faces and 'baby-face' features because they suggest good genes. There's even a halo effect - we assume attractive people have other positive qualities too.
Remember: The matching hypothesis suggests we typically end up with partners of similar attractiveness levels to avoid rejection and disappointment.
Self-disclosure follows predictable patterns too. Altman and Taylor's social penetration theory describes relationships like onions - we gradually reveal deeper layers as trust builds. The key is reciprocity: both people need to open up at similar rates for intimacy to develop properly.
Relationship Theories That Actually Make Sense
Think of relationships like business transactions (sounds unromantic, but hear us out). Social Exchange Theory suggests we all follow a 'minimax' principle - maximising rewards whilst minimising costs. You're constantly weighing up whether your relationship gives good 'value for money' in terms of time, energy, and emotional investment.
The theory identifies four stages: sampling (testing the waters), bargaining (negotiating what works), commitment (things become predictable), and institutionalisation (settling into established patterns). Your comparison level - what you think you deserve - heavily influences relationship satisfaction.
Rusbult's Investment Model adds another crucial factor: investment. Even if satisfaction drops, couples with high investment (shared memories, children, property) are more likely to work through problems. It's not just about happiness - it's about how much you'd lose by leaving.
Key insight: Equity theory suggests fairness matters more than maximising gains - relationships work best when both partners feel the give-and-take is balanced.
When relationships do break down, Duck's Phase Model shows it's rarely sudden. It starts with private worry , moves to confrontations (dyadic), becomes public (social), then ends with reputation management . Understanding these phases can actually help save struggling relationships.
Digital Age Relationships
Your online relationships work differently from face-to-face ones, and science explains why. Virtual relationships develop faster and more intensely because of reduced social barriers and increased control over self-presentation.
The hyperpersonal model shows how online dating can be more intimate than real-life meetings. You control exactly what information to share and how to present yourself, leading to selective self-presentation. This can create incredibly honest connections - or completely false ones, depending on your approach.
Gating theory explains why some people thrive online. Physical appearance, social anxiety, or speech difficulties that might block relationships in person become irrelevant online. This allows your 'true self' to shine through without superficial distractions getting in the way.
Digital reality check: Online relationships aren't actually cue-free - we use emojis, timing, and message tone as substitutes for facial expressions and body language.
Parasocial relationships follow predictable patterns too. They start as entertainment, can become intensely personal, and occasionally turn pathological. The absorption-addiction model suggests these relationships help people escape reality when they're struggling with real-life connections.
McCutcheon's research shows these celebrity attachments often fill gaps left by insecure early relationships, though the evidence for this attachment explanation remains mixed.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
AQA A Level Psychology: Relationship Revision Guide
M
Marisa Smith
@marisasmith_qauu
Ever wonder why you're attracted to certain people or how relationships actually work? Psychology has some fascinating explanations for everything from why we swipe right to how couples stay together (or fall apart). Understanding these theories can help you make... Show more
Sexual Selection and Attraction
Your brain is basically running ancient software when it comes to attraction. Sexual selection explains why certain traits become more exaggerated over time - they help people reproduce successfully. It all comes down to anisogamy: men can have children for decades whilst women have a more limited fertile window, making them a 'rarer resource'.
This creates different mating strategies. Women typically go for quality over quantity because they invest more time and energy (nine months of pregnancy, anyone?). Men often compete through displays of strength, resources, or risk-taking behaviour to catch female attention.
Physical attractiveness acts like an honest signal of genetic fitness. Research shows we're drawn to symmetrical faces and 'baby-face' features because they suggest good genes. There's even a halo effect - we assume attractive people have other positive qualities too.
Remember: The matching hypothesis suggests we typically end up with partners of similar attractiveness levels to avoid rejection and disappointment.
Self-disclosure follows predictable patterns too. Altman and Taylor's social penetration theory describes relationships like onions - we gradually reveal deeper layers as trust builds. The key is reciprocity: both people need to open up at similar rates for intimacy to develop properly.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Relationship Theories That Actually Make Sense
Think of relationships like business transactions (sounds unromantic, but hear us out). Social Exchange Theory suggests we all follow a 'minimax' principle - maximising rewards whilst minimising costs. You're constantly weighing up whether your relationship gives good 'value for money' in terms of time, energy, and emotional investment.
The theory identifies four stages: sampling (testing the waters), bargaining (negotiating what works), commitment (things become predictable), and institutionalisation (settling into established patterns). Your comparison level - what you think you deserve - heavily influences relationship satisfaction.
Rusbult's Investment Model adds another crucial factor: investment. Even if satisfaction drops, couples with high investment (shared memories, children, property) are more likely to work through problems. It's not just about happiness - it's about how much you'd lose by leaving.
Key insight: Equity theory suggests fairness matters more than maximising gains - relationships work best when both partners feel the give-and-take is balanced.
When relationships do break down, Duck's Phase Model shows it's rarely sudden. It starts with private worry , moves to confrontations (dyadic), becomes public (social), then ends with reputation management . Understanding these phases can actually help save struggling relationships.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Digital Age Relationships
Your online relationships work differently from face-to-face ones, and science explains why. Virtual relationships develop faster and more intensely because of reduced social barriers and increased control over self-presentation.
The hyperpersonal model shows how online dating can be more intimate than real-life meetings. You control exactly what information to share and how to present yourself, leading to selective self-presentation. This can create incredibly honest connections - or completely false ones, depending on your approach.
Gating theory explains why some people thrive online. Physical appearance, social anxiety, or speech difficulties that might block relationships in person become irrelevant online. This allows your 'true self' to shine through without superficial distractions getting in the way.
Digital reality check: Online relationships aren't actually cue-free - we use emojis, timing, and message tone as substitutes for facial expressions and body language.
Parasocial relationships follow predictable patterns too. They start as entertainment, can become intensely personal, and occasionally turn pathological. The absorption-addiction model suggests these relationships help people escape reality when they're struggling with real-life connections.
McCutcheon's research shows these celebrity attachments often fill gaps left by insecure early relationships, though the evidence for this attachment explanation remains mixed.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Interpersonal Similarity
Most popular content in Psychology
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user