Attraction Flashcards
define a psychological need
A mechanism for regulating behaviour to acquire the tangible or intangible resources necessary for survival and well-being
what happens when a psychological need is not met
Mental and physical health decline
Loneliness and social rejection
How is loneliness measured in a lab
- Cyberball - robots posed as other students throw ball whilst excluding actual participant
- Measure consumption afterwards e.g. how much they drank
what would evolutionary perspectives suggest about a need to belong
-The motive to belong is universal –Behaviours seen in children worldwide and not in other species
-reproduction is more successful in stable and close relationships
how does proximity play a role in relationship development
-requires physical closeness to lead to greater comfort and attraction
what is the reward model of liking
-people like others they associate with positive stimuli
-like or dislike of a person can be simply due to the mood they were in when they met
define transference
When meeting new people you transfer feelings from someone who you already know
why is similarity of attitudes a strong determinant of attraction
sharing interests validates own view of the world
what is the norm of reciprocity
-being liked first is a strong initial factor of attraction
-people anticipate rewards from people who like them
when does flattery become innaffective
if an ulterior motive is noticeable
example of opposites attracting
highly masculine men often prefer highly feminine women
tend to prefer opposites in terms of dominance and submissiveness
what does gain loss theory suggest
Liking is highest for others when they increase their positivity toward you over time
when is a compliment more potent
when from someone who has never complimented you before
what role does physical attractiveness play
Can influence political decisions, popularity, and dating frequency
why is physical attractiveness important
-pleasant to look at attractive people (rewards)
-contributes to sexual appeal
what is the halo effect
Assumption people with one positive attribute (attractiveness) must have other positive traits
how does culture play a role in physical attractiveness
beauty standards tend to vary across cultures
evidence of averageness being key to physical attraction
The more real faces that are used to create the composite face, the more attractive a composite face is perceived
why are we attracted to averageness according to evolutionary psychology
they signal good health for mating potential
what are the gender differences of the role of physical attraction
-men tend to report physical attractiveness as a key factor to relationships more than women
what are women more likely to be attracted to over physicality
financial status and resources
gender differences for views on sex
women - tend to see sex as part of an emotionally intimate relationship
men - more likely to have casual sex outside a relationship - want sex sooner and more often
what is interdependence as a component of closeness
A situation in which what each person does significantly influences what the partner does over long periods of time
what is mutuality as a component of closeness
Partners’ acknowledgment that their lives are intertwined and thinking of themselves as a couple (“us”) instead of as separate individuals
