Chapter 12: Attraction Flashcards
Proximity and study
Exposure and study
Proximity
How close you are to others
Festinger 1950
-Organized couples in a hallway and proximity predicted who they
considered friends
Exposure
How often we see something
Moreland 1992- mere exposure effect
-Women attended Psyc classes men rated their attractiveness
Results: the women who attended more classes were rated more
attractive. Shows we like things were more exposed to
Effects of attraction and studies:
“What is beautiful is good”
Cheerleader effect
“What is beautiful is good”
Attractive people have better personality traits (Snyder 1977)
-Men would treat women better on a phone convo if they were
attractive
True: more friends, social skills, sex
False: more intelligent personality adjusted
Radiating effect of attractiveness (cheerleader effect)
Kernis 1981
When two confederates were judged, they were judged as more attractive together when they were friends and one was attractive
Do looks matter in a relationship? Study?
Yes
Walter 1966
When people were matched on a blind date the best predictor of whether they want to see them again was attraction
Similarity and reasons
Reciprocal liking and study
Similarity (Newcomb 1961)
-Participants who were more similar became better friends
Why is similarity Important for attraction?
- Usually rewarding
- Similarity is matched
- It is a repeating process of finding things in common
Reciprocal liking
People tend to like those who like them
Aaronson (1965)
-The participant hung out w/ confederate and heard confederate talking
about you. They either said positive things, negative things, then
good turning bad, then bad turning good,
-Participants who heard all positive said they liked them back, but liked
them the most when they went from negative to positive was highest
Factors that influence attraction and studies:
Playing hard to get
Being hard to get
Secret relationships
Playing hard to get
Walter 73
Male participants got background info on five fictitious women. These had supposedly rated how much they wanted to date them and the others in the study
One wanted none of them, one all, one only the participant
Men liked the selectively hard the most
Being hard to get
Closing time (pennebaker)
Participants were approached at 9/10/10/12 closes at 12:30
Asked them how attractive ppl at bar were
Spiked perceived attractiveness at midnight
People were hard to get so attraction rose
Keeping secrets (Wegner 1994)
Relationships you have to keep secrets were perceived as more attractive
People played a game in which they had to keep server contact with a partner. The secret relation
Gender differences of attraction
Supposedly, men are more lucrative with their sexual endeavors and women more conservative because of reproductive cost. Women must be choosy over who they mate with.
Therefore men rely on physical attraction more often.
However, in one study these differences fell away when women were more self sustainable and better supported.
Social exchange theory of attraction
Social exchange theory
People are motivated to maximize profit an minimize loss in their relationships
Relationships that get more rewards fewer losses I’ll be more satisfying
Factors in social exchange theory of attraction
Rewards:
Gratifying aspects of relationship that make it worthwhile
Costs
Work it takes to maintain a relationship
Comparison level
Expected outcome of relationship, costs v benefits
If costs outweigh rewards you’ll be dissatisfied
Comparison level of alternatives
Likelihood you could do better otherwise
Investment model of relationship
On top of CvR, Alternatives, and investments:
also depends on how much they have invested in the relationship
Eg overtime they involve them as part of our identity (we). Investments could be Money, time, kids, etc
Rusbult 1995
Best predictor of women returning to subside relationship is investments
Equity theory
There must be balance in the RvC of the relationship. No under/overbenefitted partner in relationship
Exchange v Communal relationships
Exchange relationship:
Acquaintances or strangers
Expect immediate payback. Operate on norm of reciprocity.
Communal relationship
Longer term relationships. Operate on give and take.
Study:
Man with confederate who was available (communal) or taken (exchange)
Men liked her better if payback in exchange and none in communal
Attachment theory
Attachment theory
Predicts how early attachments shape relationships over lifespan
Four attachment styles with two dimensions
Anxiety, avoidance
Relationship advice:
Predictors of dissatisfaction:
- Criticalness
- Defensiveness
- Stonewalling
- Contempt
Positives:
- Capitalization
- Playfulness
- Idealization
Familiarity and _______ effect
Familiarity
We are attracted to people we are familiar with and things we have seen before
Propinquity effect:
The more we see and interact with someone the more likely you are to become friends
“Next door neighbor” effect
