relationships and attraction Flashcards
what is attraction closely linked to?
- Proximity
- Physical attractiveness
- Similarity
- Disclosure
- Reciprocity/Exchange
- We like people who appreciate us
what is proximity?
Geographic nearness is a powerful predictor of friendship.
what is the propinquity effect?
greater physical proximity (closeness) to others = more contact and interaction with = greater probability of liking & friendship
what is the mere exposure effect?
Repeated exposure to a stimuli increases our liking for it (in absence of salient negative features)
what is physical attractiveness?
- A person’s degree of physical beauty as defined by his or her culture
what is the halo effect in physical attractiveness?
- Attractive people are judged more favorably on other traits that are less attractive people
“Pretty” people are WRONGLY assumed to have better:
- Social skills
- Intellectual competence
- Greater integrity and concern for others
what is reciprocity?
Return in kind; exchange
helping, respecting, and supporting each other
what is similarity?
- Extent to which two people are alike in terms of age, education, attitudes, and so on.
- Similar views among individuals causes the bond of attraction to strengthen.
why do people prefer similar others?
- Similar others are more rewarding.
- Interacting with similar others minimizes the possibility of cognitive dissonance
- We expect to be more successful with similar others.
- As people interact with similar others, they tend to become even more similar
what is the social exchange theory in reciprocity?
Degree of satisfaction with relationship (and how much we like a partner) determined by a balance of rewards and costs
what is the equity theory of reciprocity?
- We are happiest with relationships where each party contributes equally (and experiences the same ratio of rewards/costs)
what are the basic concepts of the social exchange theory?
- Rewards
- Costs (e.g. drain on resources, annoying habits)
- Outcomes (cost-benefit analysis)
- Comparison level
- Comparison level for alternatives
who suggested that long term relationships go through four stages?
Thibaut & Kelley (1959)
what are the four stages Thibaut & Kelley suggested about long-term relationships?
Sampling = Costs & rewards are explored. Bargaining = Negotiation of rewards and costs are agreed. Commitment = Exchange of rewards & acceptance of costs stabilize, there is now focus on relationship. Institutionalisation = Norms & expectance are firmly established.
what are the three basic themes of love?
- Attachment
- Caring
- Trust & Self-Disclosure
what is love as a behaviour?
- Verbal expressions, e.g., “I love you.”
- Physical expression, e.g., hug & kiss
- Verbal self-disclosure
- Nonverbal display of happiness near other
- Material signs, e.g., presents, helping
- Nonmaterial signs, e.g., encouragement, interest, respect
Making sacrifices to maintain the relationship
what is Sternberg’s triangular theory of love?
- intimacy
- passion
- commitment
what is passionate love?
Marked by high levels of interpersonal attraction, sexual desire, and heightened arousal.
what is the two-factor theory of emotion?
- Physical arousal plus cognitive appraisal
2. Arousal from any source can enhance one emotion depending upon what we interpret or label the arousal
what is liking?
Relationship-based on intimacy but lacking passion and commitment
what is companionate love?
A deep, affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined.
what is pro-social behaviour?
- voluntary
- intentional helping behaviour of acts of kindness that are meant to benefit others
- has good social consequences
why do people act pro-socially?
- biological value
how is pro-social behaviour is learned?
- rewarding, praising and reinforcing pro-social lead to changes in behaviour
- instructing children in being helpful can lead to changes in their behaviour
- helping behaviour is the norm of our society
what is empathy?
ability to identfy with and understand another persons feelings, and accounts for humans ability to take the perspective of another person
what stops pro-social responses?
- personal variables = lack of empathy
- situational variables = location and preparedness
- social variables = bystander effect
what is the bystander effect?
- term used to describe the fact that the presence of others reduces the likelihood of pro-social behaviour
define altruism
disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.
define reciprocity
the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another
define competence
the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.
define mood
a temporary state of mind or feeling.
what is audience inhibition?
a bystander may choose not to intervene in an emergency because they are afraid of embarrassing themselves in front of other people
What is bystander intervention?
theory that states that an individual’s likelihood of helping decreases when passive bystanders are present in an emergency situatio
what is the social exchange theory?
- proposes that social behavior is the result of an exchange process
- the purpose of this exchange is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.
define interpersonal attraction
refers to the characteristics and processes that draw people together, either as friends or as romantic love.
