Exam 3 Flashcards
Mere Exposure Effect
- “girl next door effect”
- repeated exposure to a person makes us like them more
Homophily
- tendency to have contact with people of equal social status
Characteristics that have the most homophily between romantic partners (4)
- Race (93%)
- Education (82%)
- Age (78%)
- Religion (72%)
The matching phenomenon
- we choose a romantic partner who is similar to us in areas such as attitudes, intelligence, and attractiveness
- attractiveness associated with greater social integration and favorable treatment
Byrne Experimental Research on the Matching Phenomenon
- participants filled out questionnaire about attitudes and opinions
- shown another questionnaire either similar or dissimilar to theirs
- rated how much they liked that person
- rated similar questionnaires as people they liked more
similarity in _____ _______ associated with high marriage satisfaction, similarity in _______ not correlated
- attachment styles
- attitudes
Percieved similarity
- extent to which the individ believes his/her partner is similar on important characteristics
Most important characteristics of sex appeal
- physical appearance, body size, certain facial features
Physical Attractiveness (& gender differences)
- most attracted to good-looking people
- even preschoolers
- gender differences: men count physical appearance in judging women more than women in judging men
Attraction Online: Average type of person using services, why more online?
- users are typically educated, affluent 20-40yr olds
- why more online?
- more single people
- career & time pressures require more efficient ways to look
- single people highly mobile
- workplace romance less acceptable
Eharmony
- matches based on attitudes, values
Chemistry.com
- Dr. Helen Fischer, sociobiologist
- “Chemistry Spark”
Perfectmatch.com
- Dr. Pepper Schwartz
- similarity in romantic impulsivity, personal energy, outlook
- dissimilarity in flexibility, emotionality, self-nurturing
3 classes influence relationship success
- personal characteristics (only aspect online dating covers)
- individual change
- external, uncontrollable events
online impressions are highly influenced by:
- imagination, creates powerful attractions
Byrne’s Law of Attraction
- We like people who give us lots of reinforcements and few punishments
- make sure to associate each other with rewards (don’t spend all your time together doing unpleasant things)
Implicit Egotism Perspective
- Related to Byrne’s Law of Attraction
- Jones
- we are attracted to similar people because they activate our positive views of ourselves
Evolutionary Theory of Attraction: Sexual Strategies Theory (& one problem with theory)
- Buss
- physical attractiveness is a sign of fertility
- men are attracted to younger women b/c they are more fertile
- women attracted to healthy men but also those who are willing and able to provide resources to them and children
- cannot explain homosexual relationships
Fluctuating Asymmetry
- asymmetry of bilateral features that are usually symmetrical in the population
- makes person less attractive
Global Gender Gap Index
- provides measure of gender equity for each country
- gender differences in mate preference declined as gender parity (equality) increased
Intimacy
- commitment
- feelings of closeness (emotional & cognitive), trust
- self-disclosure (mutual)
3 dimensions of closeness/sharing in intimacy
- affective (emotional)
- cognitive
- physical
Self-Disclosure
- one aspect of intimacy
- telling partner personal things about self
- promotes sense of intimacy
- promotes reciprocation
- greater self disclosure, greater chance of relationship persisting
Measuring Intimacy
- can use Personal Assessment in Relationships Inventory (PAIR)
- questionnaire that puts one on a scale
Theories of Love (4)
- Sternberg’s Triangle Theory
- Attachment Theory
- Love Story Theory
- Two-Component Theory
Sternberg’s Triangle Theory
- 3 components to love: (must be translated into action)
- intimacy
- passion
- decision/commitment
- measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale (STLS)
- results stable for up to 2 months
- partners can be well-matched or levels of mismatch
Sternberg’s Triangle Theory: Intimacy
- emotional component
Sternberg’s Triangle Theory: Passion
- motivation/drive component
- physical attraction, drive for sexual expression
- what differentiates romantic love from platonic love
Sternberg’s Triangle Theory: Decision/commitment
- cognitive component
- Short Term: realizing “that I love you”
- Long Term: commitment over time
Attachment Theory of Love
- 3 types of lovers:
- Secure (53%)
- Avoidant (26%)
- Anxious (20%)
- separation from a parent is not related to adult attachment style
- quality of that relationship is
Attachment Theory of Love: Secure Attachment
- most common attachment among population
- closeness is easy, natural for them, do not fear abandonment
Attachment Theory of Love: Avoidant
- second most common attachment
- closeness is difficult for them
Attachment Theory of Love: Anxious-Ambivalent
- least common (still 20%)
- desperately want closeness, but then partner pulls away
- most affected by jealousy
Love Story Theory of Love
- Love Story about what love should be like, including characters, plot, and theme
- theme is positive ( ex. religious) or negative (ex. war)
- Uses Sternberg’s Love Stories Scale
Two Component Theory of Love
- Burscheid and Walster
- love involves:
- Physiological Arousal
- cognitive label to that arousal
Misattribution of Arousal
- Two component theory of love
- mistakenly attribute physiological arousal (i.e. from running/fear) to sexual attraction
- experiment of scary bridge with attractive woman at other end
Passionate vs. Companionate Love
- Passionate: intense, all consuming, lasts 6-30 months
- Companionate: deep attachment & commitment following passionate phase
How many months do we “need to wait” before marriage according to Dr. Hyde?
- 18 months, need to reach companionate phase
Biochemicals involved in Passionate and Companionate love
- Passionate: Dopamine –> euphoria
- Companionate: oxytocin, prolactin, vasopressin –> calm pleasure
Cross Cultural Research on Love
- Cultures differ on individual (self before others) vs. Collectivist (others before self)
- also on independence (being unique) vs interdependence (conformity and harmony within the group)
Criticism
- attack of partner’s personality or character
- ex. “you are so selfish”
Contempt
- intentionally insulting/orally abusing other person
- “how did i get stuck with such a loser?”
Defensiveness
- denying responsibility, making excuses, complaint of one’s own, self-protective responses
Withdrawal
- ignoring problem being discussed
- ex. going silent, turning on tv during argument
Intent
- what you mean
Impact
- what other person thinks you mean
Mind Reading
- making assumption on other person’s thoughts
Documenting
- giving examples
Leveling
- telling partner what you are feeling by stating thoughts clearly, simply, and honestly
Editing
- not saying things that would be deliberately hurtful/irrelevant
Listening requires: (3)
- non-defensive listening
- giving feedback (paraphrasing back)
- asking for feedback
Validation
- acknowledging that given one’s point of view, you can see why they think a certain way
- do not have to agree with them
Magic Ratio of positive to negative interaction in a relationship
- 5x as much positive than negative
Fighting Fair
- set of rules designed to make arguments constructive rather than destructive
Gender Binary
- classification of people into either male or female
Gender Role
- set of norms, or culturally defined expectations that define how people of one gender ought to behave
Intersectionality
- approach that simultaneously considers the meaning and consequences of multiple categories of identities, difference, and disadvantage
- ex. gender and ethnicity
Socialization
- ways in which society conveys the individual, its norms, or expectations for his/her behavior
- praise/punishment for behaviors sculpts the individual
African American Gender Roles
- 13% of US population
- many stereotypes for both men and women
- more collectivistic culture
Latino Gender Roles
- 16% of US population
- high value on family, sharply defined gender roles
- aculturation present (process of incorporating beliefs and customs of a new culture)
- machinismo vs marianismo
Asian American Gender Roles
- 5% of US population
- emphasis on education/achievement
- more value on family, interdependence
- men: asexual
- women: exotic sex toys
- in general, asian americans more conservative about sex
American Indian Gender Roles
- 2/3 of tribe have 3rd gender
- males can be “two spirit”
- women can be “manly hearted” / warrior
Masturbation Gender Differences
- men more likely to masturbate and more often
Use Of Porn Gender Differences
- men more likely to watch porn
- is this b/c of arousal to erotic materials?
Attitudes towards casual sex gender differences
- men more approving
- women more likely to approve (in general) if couple is in love
- could be because of socialization of gender roles, or more risk for women (pregnancy risk)
Orgasm Consistency Gender differences
- 91% men, 64% women had orgasm during last sexual encounter
- 80% men vs 60% women usually or always have an orgasm while masturbating
Sex Drive gender differences
- males think about sex more, but not a lot more
- men average: 19x/day
- women average: 10x/day
Gender Similarities
- physiology of sexual response
- approving of masturbation
- disapproving of extra-marital sex
Bogus Pipeline Study
- 3 groups:
- hooked up to bogus pipeline
- anonymous
- exposure threat (researcher in close quarters, could see answers)
- bogus pipeline showed ~equal # of sexual partners in men and women
- anonymous and exposure threat, results more consistent with gender roles
What causes differences in sexuality between men and women? (4 main categories)
- Biology
- Cultural factors
- Marital and Family Roles
- other factors
Biology causes of differences in sexuality between men and women (2)
- anatomy (m genitals visible, f’s not)
- females not as aware to develop sexual familiarity
- hormones (male T levels 10x that of women)
- does not account for possible differences in receptor sensitivities
Cultural factor causes of differences in sexuality between men and women (3)
- gender roles (specify script)
- double standard
- body image issues (women more dissatisfied with their bodies than men on average)
Double Standard
- sexual behavior is evaluated differently, depending on whether the person is male or female
- gives men more sexual freedom
- especially relevant in casual sex
Marital and Family Roles in causes of differences in sexuality between men and women (1)
- children can be a damper on parents’ sexual relationship
Other Factors that cause differences in sexuality between men and women (4)
- pregnancy risk factors
- women “performing” sex (sex is for the man.. faking orgasm, kissing another woman in a bar)
- ineffective stimulation of women sexually
- women not masturbating
Body-Centered Sexuality
- emphasis on body and physical pleasure
- adolescent males and middle-aged women
Person-Centered Sexuality
- emphasis on relationship & emotions between the two people
- adolescent women and middle-aged men
Heiman Study
- M & F arousal to erotic materials
- listened to audio tapes (erotic, romantic, erotic-romantic, control)
- tapes varied m/f centered, m/f initiated
- arousal measured by:
- self reports
- photoplethsmograph & penile strain gauge
- results: explicit sex tapes most arousing for M&F, women sometimes not aware of arousal
Zilbergeld
- media teaches a fantasy model of sex
Psychological Gender Differences
- males more aggressive
- adolescent girls self-disclose to friends more than boys
- collect students self-disclose on FB equally between genders
- women better at decoding non-verbal cues than men
Attitudes towards sexual relationships of adults of the same sex: always wrong vs not wrong @ all (1973 vs 2012) (US data)
- always wrong
- 1973: 74%
- 2012: 46%
- not wrong at all
- 1973: 11%
- 2012: 45%
- very much the two extremes
Homophobia
- a strong, irrational fear of homosexuals
- negative attitudes & reactions to homosexuals
Heterosexism
-prejudiced attitudes toward LGBs that can manifest themselves in discriminatory behavior
Antigay/sexual prejudice
- negative attitudes & behaviors towards Gays and Lesbians
% experienced Hate Crimes against LGBs, Verbally harassed, Discriminated against, Sexually harassed
- 14% assaulted with a weapon b/c of sexual orientation
- 55% reported had been verbally harassed
- 41% discriminated against
- 45% sexually harassed
Matthew Shepard
- Wyoming
- Was tortured, murdered b/c of his sexual orientation
Heteronormativity
- belief that heterosexuality is the norm, that all people are/should be heterosexual
Thoughts on Gaydar
- folk concept that perpetuates stereotyping
What can be done to stop LGB prejudice?
- media’s coverage/attention
- sexuality education
- intergroup contact (interacting with LGB people)