Chapter 3 Key Terms and Chapter Summary Flashcards
rewards
rewards influence attraction: noticeable direct rewards- all the evident pleasures people provide us. indirect benefits - But attraction also results from a variety of subtle influences that are only indirectly
related to the obvious kindness, good looks, or pleasing personalities of those we meet
instrumentality
the fundamental basis of attraction is instrumentality, the extent to which someone
is able to help us achieve our present goals. we’re attracted to others who
can help us get what we currently want.
proximity
our physical
proximity to others often determines whether or not we ever meet them in the first
place. More often than not, our friendships and romances grow out of interactions
with those who are nearby.
mere exposure.
Instead of being irritating, repeated contact with—or mere exposure to—
someone usually increases our liking for him or her
waist-to-hip ratio
The most attractive waist-to-hip ratio, or WHR, is a curvy 0.7 in which the waist is 30 percent
smaller than the hips (see Figure 3.3); this “hourglass” shape appeals to men around
the world. Men’s bodies are most attractive
when their waists are only slightly narrower than their hips, with a WHR of 0.9.
matching
Partners in established romantic relationships tend to have similar levels of physical
attractiveness; that is, their looks are well matched, and this pattern is known as
matching.
mate value
Our expectations regarding the probability of others’ acceptance have much to do
with our mate value, or overall attractiveness as a reproductive partner. People with
high mate values are highly sought by other
stimulus-value-role theory
we gain three different broad types of information about our partners as a new relationship develops.
When we first meet, our attraction to each other is primarily based on “stimulus”
information involving obvious attributes such as age, sex, and, of course, looks.
fatal attractions
These occur when a quality that initially attracts one person to another gradu-
ally becomes one of the most obnoxious, irritating things about that partner.
complementarity
reactions that provide a good fit to our
own—can be attractive.
The Fundamental Basis of Attraction
We are attracted to people whose presence is rewarding because they offer us
instrumentality, assistance in achieving our goals.
Proximity: Liking Those Near Us
We select our friends, and our enemies, from those around us.
Familiarity: Repeated Contact
In general, familiarity breeds attraction. Even brief,
mere exposure to others usually increases our liking for them.
Convenience: Proximity Is Rewarding, Distance Is Costly
Relationships with dis-
tant partners are ordinarily less satisfying than they would be if the partners were nearby.
The Power of Proximity
Close proximity makes it more likely that two people will
meet and interact, for better or for worse.
Our Bias for Beauty: “What Is Beautiful Is Good.”
We assume that attractive
people have other desirable personal characteristics.
Who’s Pretty?
Symmetrical faces with features of average dimensions are espe-
cially beautiful. Waist-to-hip ratios of 0.7 are very appealing in women, whereas a WHR
of 0.9 is attractive in a man if he has money.
An Evolutionary Perspective on Physical Attractiveness.
Cross-cultural agreement
about beauty, cyclical variations in women’s desires, and the link between attractiveness
and good health are all consistent with the assumptions of evolutionary psychology.
Culture Counts, Too.
Standards of beauty also fluctuate with changing economic
and cultural conditions.
Looks Matter
When people first meet, nothing else affects attraction as much
as their looks do.
The Interactive Costs and Benefits of Beauty
Physical attractiveness has a larger
influence on men’s social lives than on women’s. Attractive people doubt the praise
they receive from others, but they’re still happier than unattractive people are.
Matching in Physical Attractiveness.
People tend to pair off with others of similar
levels of beauty.
Reciprocity: Liking Those Who Like Us
People are reluctant to risk rejection. Most people calculate others’ overall desir-
ability by multiplying their physical attractiveness by their probability of reciprocal
liking. People who are desirable partners—that is, those with high mate value—insist
that their partners be desirable, too.
Similarity: Liking Those Who Are Like Us
Birds of a feather flock together. People like those who share their attitudes.
