Factors Affecting Attraction In Romantic Relationships: ✅ Flashcards
What are the factors that affect attraction in romantic relationships?
- Self-disclosure.
- Physical attractiveness.
- Filter theory.
What is self-disclosure and how does it effect attraction?
When a person voluntarily shares private aspects of the self with another person. (Intimate thoughts,experiences)
Can build relationship satisfaction but depends when and how much.
Greater disclosure = greater feelings.
Who first mentions self-disclosure and what did he say?
Jourard = that a relationship can only form w someone if you are able to build up trust.
Therefore reveal thoughts/info and build intimacy/commitment.
How is self-disclosure explained?
“The onion metaphor”
- There are different layers of disclosure (breath + depth).
- As trust is built the depth grows (should be gradual).
- Top breath layers are low-risk.
What did Regis and shaver say on self-disclosure?
That for a relationship to develop it has to be balanced. (Reciprocated)
What did has and Stafford find out about self-disclosure?
57% gay men + women said that self-disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened their committed relationships.
What is research into self-disclosure in affecting attraction?
Sprecher et al
A = investigate role of self-disclosure in relationships.
M = 156 American uni students F + F and M + F on skype.
Condition 1 = reciprocal self disclosure (both talked).
Condition 2 = not.
R = C1 reported greater liking/closeness to person.
C = reciprocity of self-disclosure has positive outcome for romantic relations/attraction.
What did spreecher find?
Difference between self-disclosure given + received. Received was a better indication of liking.
Self disclosure positively correlated to relationship stability. (study on 50 couples) Overall disclosure predicted duration of relationship (if they would stay together for over 4 years).
What are the difference between depth and breath disclosure?
Depth has higher impact on relationship satisfaction than more “natural” breath.
What are the norms of self-disclosure?
- Only moderately personal disclosure in early stages of relationship.
- Reciprocity norm is expected in disclosure (if one person discloses more they expect it in return).
What are strengths of the self-disclosure factor?
- Evidence eg. Correlations w level of self-disclosure and satisfaction.
- compatibility w filter theory (self-disclosures enables assessment of similarity of attitudes).
- evidence supports that too much too early is off putting (depends on stage of relation/appropriateness).
What are disadvantages of self-disclosure?
- Culture bias = prediction that self-disclosure leads to more romantic relation is not applicable to all culture’s. (Based on western romantic relations).
- Differences of types of self-disclosure w individualist (have more sexual thoughts) and collectivist (china).
- Correlational evidence therfore meaning other factors are at play.
What are physically attractive for each gender?
Women = youthful, childlike face, wide big eyes and small nose and chin. (Cunningham)
Men = broad shoulders, smaller hip-waist ration and higher fitness. (Brown et al)
Who said that physical attraction is a huge part of romantic relations?
McNulty et al 2008.
What is the halo effect? How is this supported?
We perceive attractive people as having other positive attributes (kind eyes thus kind personality).
Therefore are more desirable and are treated differently.
Dion et al =
Attractive people consistently rated as successful, kid and social.
We behave more positively towards them.
Due to these beliefs we are further attracted to the individual.
(Overall have disproportionate influence by looks on our judgement to their other attributes eg personality.)
