ch 15 Attraction and relationships Flashcards
attraction
the ability to evoke interest and attention
attractiveness halo effect
the theory that people who are physically attractive are assumed to have additional positive qualities
cognitive origins of attraction
the theory that our perception and interpretation of a potential mate is what attracts us
communication
verbal and non-verbal expression between individuals
culture
a collection of ideals, values, belongings, and ethics that belong to a group of people and are passed on from generation to generation
dispositional attribution
the assumption that behavior is due to internal or personal factors
DNA
genetic information that is inherited from your parents
Duck’s model of relationship dissolution
a theory addressing the stages of a breakup including five phases: intrapsychic, dynamic, social, grave-dressing, and resurrection
ecological validity
the accuracy of the data in a natural environment
equity
equal investment in the relationship from both parties
evolutionary advantage view
the theory that suggests the reason why symmetry in facial characteristics is so attractive is because symmetry suggests good health
genes
a portion of your DNA that codes for a particular characteristic
mere exposure effect
a psychological phenomenon that predicts individuals who spend more time with someone and become more familiar with them will prefer them over people with whom they have not spent as much time
natural selection
the mechanism for evolution that can predict the likelihood of survival based on an organism’s phenotype
perceptual bias view
a theory that states the reason why symmetrical faces are more attractive is because the visual centers of the brain find symmetrical information easier to process
phenotype
the physical representation of what your gene codes for (eg. brown hair, blue eyes.)
pheromones
a chemical substance released by the body that can affect other people
physical attractiveness
attributes that can be seen on the exterior of a person that draws people to that person
proximity
the physical closeness to another person
reciprocity
how much each person in a relationship is giving to the relationship; satisfaction increases when each person gives the same amount of effort
relationship dissolution
the ending of a relationship initiated by at least one partner in the relationship
reproductive fitness
a measure of how likely a person is to pass their characteristics to the next generation
similarity
characteristics that are alike between those in the relationship
similarity-attractiveness hypothesis
people who are similar to each other are more likely to find each other attractive and start a relationship, compared to those who are not familiar
situational attributions
the assumption that behaviour is due to environmental or external factors
social desirability effect
the tendency to answer questions in a way that frames the person favourably even if it is not the truth
social exchange
meaningful interactions with others
social origins of attraction
the theory that repeated exposure to a potential partner through regular interactions will influence attraction
