Assignment task:
For this discussion, I chose the television series Baby Daddy. The series is centered on Ben Wheeler, a young care-free man who lives in New York City, and whose world goes in a totally different direction after his ex-girlfriend drops their baby daughter, Emma, on Ben's doorstep without any warning. Ben had no idea on how to become a responsible person on his own, therefore he calls his brother, Danny, his two best friends Riley and Tucker, and his mother, Bonnie for help. Together, they form an unconventional makeshift family as they tackle the challenges of raising a baby while juggling their personal and professional lives. Throughout the series, viewers witness the comedic mishaps and heartfelt moments that arise as Ben and his friends navigate the ups and downs of adulthood and parenthood, thereby forming bonds that go beyond friendship and redefine the meaning of family.
Analysis of Voluntary Relationship
In the show, voluntary relationships between the main characters exhibit various attraction factors commonly studied in social psychology. For instance, Ben and Riley's well-established friendship gradually transforms into a romantic relationship illustrating the influences of factors such as proximity, similarity, and shared experiences which ultimately lead to heightened attraction. Furthermore, the back-and-forth nature between Danny and Riley shows an intricacy of attraction, as they juggle with close relations and unexpressed emotions. In addition to that, Ben's relationship with his daughter, Emma, illustrates the overwhelming power of unconditional love, revealing the significant role played by attachment and caregiving behaviors in shaping strong emotional links. Some relationships in the series are based on friendship, like in the case of Ben and Tucker who are just friends. On the other hand, others develop romantic love and are characterized by elements of intimacy, passion, and commitment which is similar to Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love (Nabila & Gunawan, 2023).
Aggression or Prosocial Behavior Scenario
In various episodes of the show, we witness Ben and his friends helping each other out in times of need and this is an example of prosocial behavior at its peak. A particular situation in Ben's life involves him dealing with managing his time. Ben had to raise the little one by himself while working full time. This, he found, was quite difficult for him to deal with. He had to combine his fatherly duties, professional duties, and social life. In response, his friends rally around him, offering emotional support, practical assistance, and even sacrificed their personal schedules to help alleviate his burden and care for Emma. This situation exemplifies social support principle where people get help, encouragement, and resources from the people in their social network during the difficult times. Cohen and Williams (1985) in their research showed that social support mediates between stress and psychological health by dampening the negative effects of stress and enhancing well-being. In the same fashion, the reciprocal feature of prosocial behavior is also demonstrated as Ben, in his turn, imparts aid to his friends when they encounter their own tribulations, thus strengthening social exchange theory wherein individuals do kind actions for the purpose of reciprocity or promise of future rewards (Foa & Foa, 1980).
Examination of Aggression or Prosocial Behavior Scenario
When looking for the reasons behind aggression in "Baby Daddy," environmental stress and interpersonal conflicts can be identified as the major factors that cause conflict between the characters. For example, financial troubles or romantic miscommunication tend to exacerbate animosities and result in verbal skirmishes or physical scuffles. Although this stressor is not necessarily harmful in itself, it can affect relationships and cause emotional distress and strain them. The social learning theory proposed by Bandura offers support for the idea that people may mimic aggression observed in their environment, implying that exposure to aggression in media or interpersonal settings can shape one's tendency to exhibit aggressive responses (Nickerson, 2023). On the other hand, prosocial behavior stresses the role of empathy, cultural norms, and religiosity that determine people's willingness to aid others in a vulnerable situation.
Fundamentally, identifying the factors that enhance prosocial behavior, like empathy and culture, will help us choose ways of promoting positive interactions and reducing aggression and violence in interpersonal relationships. Situational factors like proximity and common experiences could also alter social relationships, determine the types of attraction, aggression, and prosocial behavior among individuals. On the other hand, cultural differences also exist in the attitude towards aggression and the norms for interpersonal relationships which have an impact on the way conflicts are resolved and on the seeking of social support.
Questions:
1. Can you identify other theoretically or empirically supported means of enhancing attraction or reducing antisocial behavior/increasing prosocial behavior?
2. Can you apply additional theoretical principles to the chosen relationship/scenario?
3. Use personal experiences (with regard to relationships and pro/antisocial behavior) mirror theoretical predictions?