4. ATTRACTION and RELATIONSHIPS Flashcards

1
Q

How is attraction related to them ( as in the other person) (e.g. physical attractiveness)

A

physically - face, smell, body, consequences

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2
Q

What does facial symmetry reflect?

A

“average” features

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3
Q

what faces then to be more attractive?

A

average faces

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4
Q

what is considered an average face?

A
facial proportions (symmetry)
removal of individual/unique blemishes and marks
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5
Q

what is the more consistent aspect of an average face that is related to attractiveness?

A

removal of individual/unique blemishes and marks (Brain, Gruendl, Marberger & Scherber, 2001)

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6
Q

what sort of unique features can be considered attractive?

A

(Alley & Cunningham, 1991)

  • “child-like” features (baby faced)
  • for women: large yees and prominent cheekbones
  • for men: prominent chin
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7
Q

what can scent indicate in both men and women?

A

difference in people’s immuse systems, specifically the major histocompatibility comples (MHC)

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8
Q

what is the major histocompatibility complex?

A

defence against parasites and avoids ibbreeding

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9
Q

what can scent indicate in women?

A

it can indicate when they are fertile, an indicator thats more likely sex will lead to procreation

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10
Q

what did Thornhill et al (2003) do an experiment on?

A

women and men smelled t-shirts that had been worn for 2 days by people pf the other sex.
He performed genetic analysis of MHC and rated scent pleasantness ad sexibess (combined)

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11
Q

what did thornhill et al (2003) discover about men smelling women?

A

men preferred women with scents that indicated MHC dissimilarity and indications that conception was more likely (fertile perios

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12
Q

what did thornhil et al (2003) discover about women smelling men?

A

women preferred men with scents that indicated more diversity in MHC (containing dominant and recessibe geneses) which can increase disease resistance in offspring

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13
Q

what does a .7 waist to hip ration indicate about women?

A

suggests lower likelihood of childbirth problems

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14
Q

what is the more attractive waist to hip ratio for women?

A

.7

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15
Q

what is the attractive waist to hip ratio for men?

A

.9

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16
Q

is there a difference between how men see a woman’s waist to hip ratio and how a lesbian or bisexual woman sees another woman’s waisst to hip ratio?

A

Nope. however there is a preference for heavier bodies than hetersexual men/women

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17
Q

what is the key element of universal physical attractiveness?

A

waist to hip ratio and symmetry

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18
Q

what are the more attractive men and women percieved to be with regard to consequences?

A

(Dion et al, 1972)

  • more successful dominant and intelligent
  • More socially skilled
  • Better parents, less likely to divorce
  • have more fulfilling social and professional lives
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19
Q

Who do people tend to want relationships with?

A

others of similar attractiveness.

Thus there do seem to be “leagues” of attractiveness

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20
Q

What did Walster, Aronson, Abrams & Rottman (1966) discover?

A

that attractiveness was the best predictor that people would meet up again

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21
Q

What can influence perceptions of physical attractiveness?

A

liking on non-physical dimensions this is known as a “cycle” of attractiveness

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22
Q

when is attraction greater (non-physically)?

A

to people whose attitudes and values are similar to our own. Thus similarities attract more than opposites.

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23
Q

what makes interactions easier?

A

perceived commonalities which validate who we are

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24
Q

true of false, similarities grow over time?

A

True

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25
Q

What did Bruber-Baldinin et al, 1995 do

A

did a 21 year longitudinal study and fond that attitudes and mental abilities of couples became more similar the longer they were together

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26
Q

what does it mean when “opposites attract”?

A

when people are attracted characteristics that they value but lac themselves.

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27
Q

what is involved in situation attractiveness?

A

proximity, transfer of arousal, reactance

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28
Q

what is proximity?

A

we tend to like people we interact with fequently

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29
Q

why do we like people we interact with frequently?

A

greater chance of interaction - getting to know the person
Er interact more frequently with those around us a lot
so long as they are not assertive

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30
Q

what theory is proximity (with regard to attraction) related to

A

the mere exposure effect. which provides that we tend to like things more when we are exposed to them frequently

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31
Q

what is transfer of arousal?

A

when we are attracted to people who are present when we experience psychological arousal. this is called misattribution of arousal

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32
Q

when does transfer of arousal occur?

A

when doing an exciting or dangerous activity together which increases arousal (adrenaline). sometimes attribute some of this arousal to the presence of another person rather than the activity

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33
Q

What is reactance with regard to situational attractiveness?

A

does the difficulty of being together contribute to attraction?

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34
Q

what is an example of reactance attractivenesss?

A

Romeo and Juliette

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35
Q

how do relationships become closer?

A

through shared activities, self disclosure and sexual activities

36
Q

how do shared activities contribute to bringing a relationship closer?

A

allows for spending time together doing enjoyable activities or shared preferences

37
Q

how does self disclosure being a relationship closer?

A

revealing aspects of self; accepting disclosures of the other; experience as intimacy - feeling understood, valued and esteemed

38
Q

how does sexal activity bring a relationship closer?

A

sexual activity marks the relationship as different from other friendships
sexual exclusivity is a common social marker of a “relationship”

39
Q

How are rewards and costs of relationship evaluated?

A

against a comparison level (thibaut & Kelly 1959)

40
Q

what is a comparison level?

A

one’s personal cost/reward ratio for a relationship.
If relationship is higher comparison level: maintain or develop further
If relationship has a lower comparison level: look for exit or alternatives

41
Q

where to comparison levels come from?

A

past experience: levels when past relationships good or bad
social comparison: regard/costs observed in relationships for others
perceived alternatives: whether being with someone else will have a higher reward/cost ratio

42
Q

how are close relationships defined?

A

by subjective importance of relationship

mutual interdependence of partners

43
Q

what is behavioural interdependence?

A

each person highly influences the other’s decisions, activities, and plants. Much time is spent in joint activities

44
Q

emotional interdependence

A

each person’s emotions are strongly affected by the other’s feelings and behaviour

45
Q

cognitive interdependence

A

thinking about the self and partner as inextricably linked parts of a whole; high level of knowledge of the partner

46
Q

what is self-expansion?

A

the “other” becomes incorporated into “self” (Aron, Aron, Tudor and Nelson, 1991)

47
Q

what are the aspects of self-expansion?

A

features of partners becomes part of the self-concept

people find it more difficult to distinguish between their own traits and their partner’s traits in close relationships

48
Q

what are the three elements of Sternberg’s (1998) “triangular theory of love”?

A

passion
intimacy
commitment

49
Q

passion

A

arousal, sexual attraction

50
Q

intimay

A

feelings of closeness and togetherness

51
Q

commitment

A

wanting the relationship to continue

52
Q

the combination of the 3 elements leads to 8 types of love. what are these types of love?

A

passionate, fatuous, empty, compassionate, liking, romantic, consumate

53
Q

what is the issue with the triangular theory of love?

A

there is an ongoing argument about the importance of passionate love in relationships (and institutions such as marriage)

54
Q

what does falling in lvoe seem to require

A

being raised in a culture where this is important

55
Q

what does romantic require

A

emotional arousal, cultural endorsement and an appropriate ‘love object’ (Hatfield & Walster, 1978)

56
Q

wht is a large impact on passion or romantic love?

A

cultures. some cultures these things arent common e.g. arranged marriages

57
Q

what is the social exchange perspective?

A

relationships involve exchanging “resources” between partners e.g. goods, services, love, status, money, information

58
Q

when do relationships develop? (with regard to stability)

A

if partners are satisfied with the exchanging of resources between eachother

59
Q

how can relationships be classified by comparing reward/cost ratios of partners?

A

equitable and inequitable

60
Q

equaitable

A

where both ratios are about equal

61
Q

inequitable

A

where ratios are diferent

62
Q

what are the two forms if inequity

A

over-benefit and underbenefit

63
Q

what is over benefit associated with (in regards to inequity in a relationship)

A

with guilt, anger

64
Q

what is under-benefit associated with (in regards to inequity in a relationship)?

A

depression, frustration and anger

65
Q

what is equity related to in a relationship?

A

satisfaction. absolute reward is the best preductor of happiness

66
Q

what are the four elements in Rusbult’s commitment model to produce relationship commitment?

A
  • total rewards/costs from the relationship
  • potential rewards/costs from alternative relationships
  • investments that would be lost if relationship ended
  • costs of leaving relationship
67
Q

what are the challenges against the social exchange perspectiv

A

some theorists argue exchange models are not appropriate for understanding loving relationships. Motivation for contributions is to care for the other, rather than to recieve rewards

68
Q

what are exchange theorists’ responses to criticisms?

A

caring for another can be a reward

downplaying exchange and fairness over-romanticises close relationships, and misses importance aspects

69
Q

what are the four characteristics of a reltionship that are likely to end?

A

(Levinger, 1980)

  1. a new relationship seems the only way in which serious problems can be solved/needs can be met
  2. alternative partners are available
  3. there is a general expectation that the relationship will fail (when, not if)
  4. there is low commitment to continuing the relationship
70
Q

with regard to the characteristics of a relationship that are likely to end, what are other factors that are also included

A
  • Typically predicted by multiple factors, rather than an extreme position on a single factor
  • These factors only have to be present for one person
71
Q

when do relationships usually break down?

A

due to dissatisfaction and frustration. Breakdowns from loss of love are less common

72
Q

what are associated with the most positive resolution when a realtionship breaks up?

A

feeings of control and understanding hwy the breakup occurred.

73
Q

who usually copes better with the break up?

A

the breaker

74
Q

what are involved in Duck’s model of relaitonship dissolution?

A
  1. Intrapsychic phase
  2. Dyadic phase
  3. Social phase
  4. Grave-dressing phase
75
Q

Intrapsychic phase

A
  • think about partner’s faults and inadequacies

* think about options, such as other potential partners

76
Q

dyadic phase

A

• raise/discuss/argue about dissatisfaction with partner

77
Q

social phase

A
  • involving others, eg. friends, counsellor

* search for support and assistance

78
Q

grave-dressing phase

A
  • self-justifying strategies

* bolstering own view of break-up

79
Q

why does stress follow relationship bread downs?

A

due to:
o reduced social support
o renegotiation of pragmatic arrangements
• eg. childcare, living arrangements, finances, telling others, work
o redefinition of self (extracting the “other”)
o changed social contacts, loss of contact with ex-partner’s social network

80
Q

what does loneliness refer to?

A

quality, rather than quantity of relationships

81
Q

what is loneliness a result of?

A

unmet needs for affection, understanding, recognition and acceptance. especially for those who think it can only be overcome by another relationship rather than friendship

82
Q

what are the two types of attributions of loneliness that cause loneliness?

A

better coping

worst coping

83
Q

who are people who are better at coping?

A

people who see loneliness as temporary and situationally bound

84
Q

who are people who are worse at coping?

A

people who see loneliness arising from their stable personal qualities

85
Q

what did Lucas (2005) discover after a 14 year longitudinal study about life satisfaction before and after divorce?

A

8 years before divorce it was slightly higher than 6 years after the divorce. The lowest life satisfaction is just before the divorce

86
Q

how do people from different cultures have different expectations/experiences of relationships and love?

A

ethnic cultures - e.g. indiidualistic collectivistic
sexuality cultures - heterosexual, homosexual, sex-workers
followers of different religions - sex before marriage is a sin

87
Q

what is an example of non-monagamous close relationships?

A

“open” relationships