Factors affecting attraction Flashcards
Self disclosure
Revealing personal information about yourself such as thoughts, feelings, beliefs and attitudes
Why do we self disclose?
To feel intimate with someone
More disclosure = greater feelings of intimacy
Social penetration theory
Self disclosing is like an onion due to the layers and it’s a gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone.
We reveal superficial info first moving into intimate details later.
Too much to earlier is off putting.
SPT - What 3 things does SD require?
Breadth - range of topics talked about
•at the start of a relationship, we speak about ‘safe’ topics
•by the end, we speak about a large range of topics, nothing is off limits
Depth - details of topics talked about
•at the start, we reveal superficial info (low risk)
•by the end, we real high risk, intimate info such as painful memories
Reciprocity - returning the SD
•when one partner disclosed something, they display trust in the other
•this results in the other feeling trusted and able to reveal something personal
•’turn taking’
Research support
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 occurred between the partners. This evidences SD being an important factor affecting attraction in relationships.
•high external validity
•no demand characteristics
Direction of causation
Currently, we are claiming increased SD causes high satisfaction in a relationship.
However, the direction of causation may be the other way around: as partners become more satisfied with their relationship, it causes them to disclose more deeply and broadly leading to more discloses.
Direction of causation
Currently, we are claiming increased SD causes high satisfaction in a relationship. However, the direction of causation may be the other way around: as partners become more satisfied with their relationship, it causes them to disclose more deeply and broadly leading to more disclosures.
Relationship breakdown
Increased SD does not always lead to relationship satisfaction. Ducks phase model of relationship breakdown = when a relationship breaks down partners often disclose more as an attempt to save the relationship, but this often does not save the relationship. So sometimes increased SD is associated with relationship dissatisfaction.
Real world application
Relationship counselling
If less-skilled partners learn to use SD, this could bring benefits to their relationship.
Less skilled partners = those who stick to ‘small talk’, limit SDs breadth and depth.
Benefits = satisfaction
Cultural limitations
SD may be less appropriate for romantic relationships in cultures where partners are not allowed free choice, such as those that have arranged marriages. Other factors, such as the status, wealth and occupation of the relationship partner may influence partner choice more so than levels of SD.
This therefore makes SD as a factor affecting attraction initial attraction culturally bias and only true in certain societies such as western ones where arranged marriage is not as predominant.
Symmetry
It’s a signal of genetic fitness and so related to sexual selection and reproductive behaviour
Neotenous
Baby face features (large eyes, delicate chin, small nose)
This is attractive as it triggers a protective or caring instinct which is valuable.
Research support for neotenous
Cunningham et al found that female features of large eyes, prominent cheekbones, small nose and high eyebrows were rated as highly attractive by white, hispanic and asian males. The researchers concluded that what is considered physically attractive is remarkably consistent across different cultures. As attractive features (such as symmetry) are a sign of genetic fitness and therefore perpetuated similarly in both individualistic and collectivist cultures. Therefore, partner preferences appear to be universal as the importance of physical attractiveness makes sense at an evolutionary level.
Research support for neotenous
Cunningham et al found that female features of large eyes, prominent cheekbones, small nose and high eyebrows were rated as highly attractive by white, hispanic and asian males. The researchers concluded that what is considered physically attractive is remarkably consistent across different cultures. As attractive features (such as symmetry) are a sign of genetic fitness and therefore perpetuated similarly in both individualistic and collectivist cultures. Therefore, partner preferences appear to be universal as the importance of physical attractiveness makes sense at an evolutionary level.
Halo effect
People who are judged to be attractive are typically perceived in a positive light and attributed positive light and attributed positive traits.
Research support for halo effect
Dion eat al found that attractive people are consistently rated as successful, kind and sociable when compared with unattractive people. This means that we not only believe that good-looking people are more physically attractive, we expect them to have other desirable characteristics as well and tend to behave more positively towards them.
Matching hypothesis
We choose a partner of similar attractiveness to ourselves.
We do this to avoid rejection by someone ‘out of our league’ and because we subconsciously have an idea about our own level of attractiveness.
Research support for matching hypothesis
Silverman found couples were observed in naturalistic dating settings: bars and restaurants. The observed couples were predominantly 18-22 year olds and unmarried. Each observer independently rated the dating couple, on a 5-point scale. There was an extremely high degree of similarly between the attractiveness of the couple members.
However, it could lead to experimenter bias as researchers reporting their expectations.
Culture bias
P: A further criticism is that research that has been carried out in this area is culturally specific.
E: Studies have been completed in western societies and fail to recognise that many forms of relationship that are not necessarily governed by physical attraction. For example, in arranged marriages attractiveness plays a minimal role. Here it is the families of the suitors that are considered the benefits and opportunities that the joining of two households could bring to each other.
T: This suggests that physical attractiveness explanation of initial attraction cannot be applied across all cultures.
Ignores other factors affecting attraction
P: One limitation of physical attraction is that it ignores other factors affecting initial attraction.
E: Things such as humour, opinions, location, beliefs etc are not considered.
T: Physical attractiveness as an explanation of initial attraction is therefore only a partial explanation.
Individual differences
P: One weakness is that not everybody is equally affected by physical attraction.
E: Towhey et al gave participants photos of strangers and some biographical information about them; participants were asked to rate how much they liked the people on photographs. Participants sexist attitudes were also measured. Physical attractiveness was more important for participants who displayed sexist attitudes and less important to those who didn’t display sexist attitudes.
T: There are therefore individual differences meaning physical attraction is not as a significant a factor to everybody in initial attraction.
Filter theory
Filter one - Social demography
•geographical location
•social class
•level of education
•religion
Filter two - Similarity in attitudes
•people who share the same beliefs and interests
•people who share basic values and morals
Filter three - Complementary
•partners complement each other when they have traits the other lacks
•example: one partner likes making people laugh, the other likes to laugh
Field of availables
The entire set of potential romantic partners (all the people we could realistically form a relationship with)
Field of desirables
A limited collection of potential romantic partners based on our preferences
