10 Flashcards
Interpersonal attraction is…
The study of attraction or liking between two or more people.
* Focus here on dyadic relationships (between 2 people)
What factors determine attraction?
- Proximity
- Similarity
- Physical attractiveness
Proximity
- A determinant of whether people become friends or lovers.
- people who are closer and more likely to become close friends
- can also result in enemies
What is functional distance?
Degree to which the arrangement or configuration of residential facilities influences the probability of unplanned social interaction.
- physical distance isn’t as important as functional distance
- e.g. people who are directly below one another have a lower chance of becoming close friends than those with the same distance but have stairs in front of their room.
What are some explanations behind the effects of proximity?
- Availability: Can only become friends with people we communicate with.
- Anticipating interaction: When we anticipate interacting with someone we make effort to make sure our interactions go well (if we believe we’ll continue to cross paths in the future)
- E.g., Ps liked profile of person they expected to meet more.
- Mere exposure effect
What is the Mere exposure effect
The phenomenon whereby the more often people are exposed to a stimulus, the more positively they evaluate that stimulus
- even effect if unconsciously exposed
What is the anticipating interaction effect?
When we anticipate interacting with someone we make effort to make sure our interactions go well (if we believe we’ll continue to cross paths in the future)
- E.g., Ps liked profile of person they expected to meet more.
What are some potential reasons behind the mere exposure effect?
- Fluency –> the more we are exposed to something the easier it is to process
- Conditioning –> the more we are exposed to something and that thing is associated with positive/neutral outcomes the more we like it
Similarity-Attraction
People tend to like others who are more similar to themselves
- More similar a stranger is, the more participants like them (‘bogus stranger paradigm’).
What dimensions can people have similarities in that people find attractive?
- Attitudinal: People tend to like others who share similar attitudes, interests, and world views.
- Demographic: Similarity on various demographic dimensions related to greater attraction.
- e.g. religion, socio-economic status, ethnicity
- Personality: Similarity on certain dimensions like extraversion, sensitivity, and genuineness also related to long term satisfaction, but to a lesser extent.
- Physical attractiveness:
- Matching hypothesis: Proposition that people are attracted to others who are similar in physical attractiveness.
Do opposites attract?
- Lack of evidence for complementarity.
- Even in couples that appear to demonstrate it, complementarity on few features, but similarities on most.
- Similarity appears to be the rule and complementarity the exception. (can be good in terms of personality traits e.g. extrovert + introvert)
Why does similarity promote attraction
- Similar others validate our own beliefs and orientation.
- Similarity facilitates smooth interactions.
- We expect similar others to like us.
- Similar others possess qualities we like and values we cherish.
Physical Attractiveness importance?
- Physical attractiveness rated as important by both men AND women
Advantages of Physical attractiveness?
- Attractiveness objectively related to popularity, social skills, active sex life, and sense of control
- Physical attractiveness related to popularity, dating frequency, and friendship ratings.
- Quality of work and higher pay allocated for more attractive individuals.
- People more likely to help an attractive person.
- Attractive criminals receive lighter sentences and smaller fines than unattractive criminals.
What is beautiful is good stereotype or the halo effect is…
Belief that attractive people possess a host of other desirable traits
- E.g., good looking judged happier, more socially skilled, intelligent, popular, have desirable personality traits, and success.
- Transgression (unlawful act) seen as less serious and less likely to repeat when committed by a good looking child
Media and Attractiveness?
Media reinforces this belief about attractiveness and desirable traits
* E.g., content analysis of top movies showed more attractive characters also portrayed as virtuous, romantically active, and successful.
- This can also reinforce biases people have for beauty
- E.g., Ps who watched movie reinforcing beautiful is good stereotype more likely to favour attractive applicant.
Attractiveness and culture?
Culture shape traits deemed ‘good’
* E.g., beautiful targets in North America and Korea both perceived to be socially skilled, likable, friendly, and happier.
- However Korean participants judged attractive targets to be higher in integrity and
concern for others, while North American participants judged them as
strong and assertive. (cultural difference)
Why Are We Influenced By Beauty?
- Inherently rewarding: Beautiful faces are rewarding
- E.g., fMRI study found that area of brain responding to rewards activated by facial beauty as well.
- External rewards: Expect that being around beautiful others will benefit us and raise our own social standing
- E.g., average looking rated more attractive when in company of attractive others.
- Being with attractive woman boosts man’s image.
- Immediacy: Appearance usually one of the first things we notice
Downsides of Physical Attractiveness?
- Attributional Ambiguity
- Attractive people may also feel pressure to maintain appearance.
- Attractiveness not related to greater satisfaction in marriage or overall life
- Beauty has advantages, but is not destiny
