Attraction and Relationships:Cross Cultural Perspectives

Question 1

Benefits of Relationships and Bonds

Answer 1

Love, work, play, and function in societies and cultures
Find mates and care for babies and the elderly
Buffer from trials of life
Live longer

HOW people address this need is culturally specific

Question 2

Person Perception

Answer 2

Process of forming impressions of others

Question 3

We form ‘reliable’ impressions of people based on our perceptions of their:

Answer 3

Appearance
Attractiveness
Personality

Question 4

American believe that smiling faces are more…

Japanese believe that neutral faces are more…

Answer 4

intellligent

Question 5

There are two ways attractiveness can be viewed cross-culturally:

Answer 5

Universal aspects: Evolutionalry influence & reproduction reinforced throgh communication and media

2. Individual aspects: ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’
   leads to Cultural Differences

Question 6

Four Universal aspects

Answer 6

Clear complexion - (Monragu, 1986) – healthy mate, healthy offspring. This is largely unconscious.

Bilateral symmetry - (Gangestad, et al, 1994) – symbol of developmental stability free from pollution, pathogens, stresses, genetic mutations.

Average faces - individual features that are close to the average in size and in configuration (for own and other cultures; + multiracial faces). Less likely to have genetic abnormalities/Process prototype-like face faster – infer liking.

Personality traits - friendliness, happiness and likeability (Wheeler and Kim, 1997).

Question 7

Men rating women:

Answer 7

Younger mates, good looks, chastity (in more traditional cultures, along with domestic skills) REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY

Question 8

Women rating men:

Answer 8

Financial prospects, ambition, industriousness, older mates RESOURCE AQUISITION

Question 9

Sex within marriage

Cultures with:

Answer 9

Low resources, higher stress (especially with insencitive/inconsistent parenting), physically harsh environments, economic hardships

Question 10

Men: jealous at the loss of…

Answer 10

sexual exclusivity

Question 11

Women: jealous at the loss of…

Answer 11

emotional exclusivity

Question 12

Individualist cultures

Answer 12

People have higher levels of desire for affiliation

→Many social relationships, but few that are particularly close

Question 13

Collectivist cultures

Answer 13

People have lower desire for affiliation

→fewer, but deep & long-lasting relationships

Question 14

Cross cultural differences in marriage

Answer 14

Age
Role of Love
Arranged marriages

Question 15

Solution of conflicts through:

Answer 15

Flexibility
Compromise
Commitment