factors affecting attraction

Question 1

What are the 3 factors that affect attraction?

Answer 1

Self-disclosure
Physical attraction
Filter theory

Question 2

Why do we self-disclose in relationships? (2)

Answer 2

To feel intimate with someone
More disclosure=greater feelings of intimacy

Question 2

What is self-disclousure (SD) ?

Answer 2

Revealing personal information about yourself e.g. thoughts, feelings, beliefs

Question 3

What is the social penetration theory? (4)

Answer 3

Gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone
We reveal superficial information first -“low risk information”
Moving into intimate details later- “high risk”
Too much too early is off-putting

Question 4

According to the social penetration theory, what 3 things is needed for self-disclosure?

Answer 4

Breadth (range of topics talked about)
Depth (details of topics talked about)
Reciprocity (returning to the self-disclosure)

Question 5

Explain the breadth stage for SD (2)

Answer 5

Start of relationship=speak about safe topics
End of relationship=speak about a large range of topics, nothing is of limit

Question 6

Explain the depth stage for SD (3)

Answer 6

Start of relationship=speak about superficial, low risk info e.g. hobbies
End of relationship=speak about intimate, high risk info e.g. fears/secrets
Too much too soon is off-putting

Question 7

Explain the reciprocity stage for SD (3)

Answer 7

When one partner discloses something, they display trust in the other
Results in the other feeling trusted and able to reveal something personal or sensative about them
‘Turn taking’

Question 8

Explain the onion metaphor to self-disclosure

Answer 8

Outer layer=low risk
Inner layer=high risk
E.g.
Basic facts
Interests
Beliefs
Aspirations
Fears

Question 9

A strength of self-disclosure is that there is research support, explain in PET

Give a furthermore and counterargument

Answer 9

E: Sprecher and Hendrick observed couples on dates and found a close correlation between the amount of satisfaction each person felt, and the overall SD that occured between the partners
T: SD is an important factor affecting attraction

S=High ecological validity, no demand characteristics
W=Experimenter bias (reporting their expectations)

Question 10

A weakness of self-disclosure is that we do not know the direction of causation, explain in PET

Answer 10

E: We are claiming increased SD causes high satisfaction, however, the direction of causation may be the other way round. As partners become more satisfied with their relationship, it causes them to disclose more deeply
T: Weakens research as we cannot claim for sure that ^ SD leads to ^ satisfactions

Question 11

A strength of SD is that there is real world application, explain in PET

Answer 11

E: Relationship counselling- if less skilled partners learn to use SD>benefits their relationship
T: SD can benefit couples, overall ^ couples QoL

Question 12

A weakness of SD is that the nature of SD changes, explain in PET

Answer 12

E: SD may be less appropriate for romantic relationships in culutres where partners are not allowed free choice e.g. arranged marriages. Other factors e.g. status may influence partner choice more than SD
T: SD is culturally biased as it is only true in societies such as Western, where arranged marriages aren’t as prominent

Question 13

What are the 4 features of physical attraction?

Answer 13

Symmetry
Neotenous (baby-face features e.g. large eyes, small nose)
Halo effect
Matching hypothesis

Question 14

Why is symmetry attractive?

Answer 14

It is a sign of genetic fitness, related to sexual selection and reproductive behaviour

Question 15

What is neotenous attractive?

Answer 15

Triggers a protective instinct which is a valuable resources for those wanting to reproduce

Question 16

What is the research support for neotenous?
What did the researchers conclude?
How is this universal?

Answer 16

Cunningham et al found that female features of large eyes, small nose were rated as highly attractive by white, hispanic, and asian males
What is considered physically attractive is consistent across different cultures (+cross cultural sample)
Applied in both individualistic and collectivist cultures

Question 17

What is the halo effect?

Answer 17

People who are judged to be attractive are typically perceived in a positive light and attributed personality traits

Question 17

What is the research support for the halo effect? (2)

Answer 17

Dion et al found that people are consistently rated as successful, kind, and sociable when compared with unattractive people
Palmer and Peterson asked ppts to rate attractive and unattractive people in terms of how knowledgeable they believed them to be -found that unattractive people were consistently rated higher on these characteristics

Question 17

What is the matching hypothesis?
Why do we do this? (2)

Answer 17

We choose a partner of similar attractiveness to ourselves
-To avoid rejection by someone ‘out of our league’
-We subconsciously have a good idea about our own level of attractiveness

Question 18

What is the research support for the matching hypothesis?
What is a limitation of this?

Answer 18

Silverman observed in naturalistic settings (bars and restaraunts)
Observed couples were predominately ages 12-22 and unmarried
Observers rated the couples on a 5-point scale
High degree of similarity between the attractiveness of the couple members
- Researchers reporting their expectations

Question 19

One limitation of physical attraction is that it ignores other factors affecting initial attraction, explain in PET

Answer 19

E: Factors such as intelligence, kindness, education, humour, hobbies may attract or repel a partner
T: Physical attraction is a partial explanation

Question 19

Explain the contradictory research for the matching hypothesis
*Counter argument

Answer 19

Taylor studied the activity logs of popular online dating site and measured peoples date choices
They found that online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive than them

Question 20

One limitation of physical attraction is that there is culture bias, explain in PET

Answer 20

E: Most research has been completed in Western societies, which fails to recognise that many forms of the relationship is not governed by physical attraction
E.g. in arranged marriages attractiveness plays a minimal role
T: This explanation cannot be applied across all cultures

Question 21

Explain the filter theory

Answer 21

You start with a field of available (entire set of potential romantic partners) and filter this down to a field of desirables (limited collection of potential romantic partners)
*You filter down via:
1. Social demography
2. Similarity in attitudes
3. Complementary

Question 22

What is social demography?

Answer 22

We screen out people who are different in terms of:
-geographical location
-social class
-level of education
-religion
-ethnicity
Anyone too different from this is discounted as a potential partner

Question 23

What is similarity in attitudes?

Answer 23

After screening for social demography, we look for those who are similar to us
E.g. same beliefs, interests, values, morals

Question 24

What is complementary?

Answer 24

After screening social demography and similarity in attitudes, we look to meet each others needs
Partners compliment each other when they have traits the other partner lacks
E.g. men with good financial prospects and young attractive women

Question 25

A strength of the filter theory is that there is research support, explain in PET

Answer 25

E: Clark found that 50% of citizens of Colombus, Ohio were married to partners who initially lived within walking distance to their house
T: Evidence for social demography

Question 26

One weakness of filter theory is that it has low temporal validity, explain in PET

Answer 26

E: Role of social demographic filters has changed over time to online dating apps e.g. location limits
Social changes have led to relationships that were less common 40 years ago e.g. ethnicity and online relationships
T: Filter theory is outdated and cannot explain initial attraction in modern day relationships

Question 27

One weakness of filter theory is that it is subject to culture bias, explain in PET

Answer 27

E: Most research is conducted in individualistic cultures -values free choice in relationships and individuals can work through the filter theory freely without influence -this isn’t the case in collectivist cultures e.g. parents may put you through an arranged marriage
T: Filter theory is not a universal explanation