Relationships evaluation and studies (Lesson 1-4) Flashcards
Darwin (1871)
Sexual selection is about the selection of characteristics that aid successful reproduction rather than survival. Although successful reproduction would ultimately aid survival.
Buss (1993)
While men are fearful of partners being sexually unfaithful, females worry about emotional unfaithfulness due to a fear of their partner spending resources on other females.
Fisher (1930)
sexy sons hypothesis, females select attractive males as they will produce sons with the same features increasing their sons and their own reproductive fitness
Zahavi (1975)
Handicap hypothesis, females select males with handicaps, demonstrating superior genetic quality.
What are the strengths of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?
Research support from: - Clark and Hatfield (1989), - Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999), - David Buss (1989)
What are the weaknesses of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?
- Too simplistic (Buss and Schmitt (2016)), - Not considered social and cultural influences (Bereczkei et al (1997)), - Cannot explain homosexual preferences (Lawson et al (2014))
Clark and Hatfield (1989) (Research support for inter-sexual selection)
Sent m+f psych students out on a uni campus, approaching others with an offer to go to bed with them. 0% of females agreed and 75% of males agreed. Supports view that females are choosier than males
Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999) (Research support for inter-sexual selection)
Examined idea that older women do not disclose their true age in personal advertisements because men judge prospective females on age (due to fertility) True for women 35-50 to find high quality partners before menopause.
David Buss (1989) (Research support for intra-sexual selection)
Survey of 10,000 adults in 33 countries. Asked questions relating to evolutionary theory attributes. Females place greater value on resource related characteristics and males valued physical attractiveness and youth.
How are evolutionary explanations for partner preferences reductive?
It assumes one strategy is adaptive. There are other factors that might be relevant such as long term relationship. Buss and Schmitt (2016) argued its complexity.
Buss and Schmitt (2016)
Argue that both males and females who are looking for long term relationships are much choosier, looking for partners that are loving, loyal and kind.
How do evolutionary explanations for partner preferences underestimate social and cultural influences?
Partner preferences over the past century have been influenced by changing social norms of behaviour, developing much faster than evolution and have come about due to cultural influences like contraception.
Bereczkei et al (1997)
Women’s new role in the workplace means they aren’t dependent on men for financial support so their mate preferences have changes as they no longer rely on men being bread winners.
Why can’t evolutionary explanations for partner preferences explain homosexual preferences?
Because they aren’t looking for genetic fitness
Lawson et al (2014)
looked at personal ads by both heterosexual and homosexual individuals and found preferences differed.
Altman and Taylor (1973)
Social Penetration Theory - disclosures in a relationship become increasingly intimate as the relationship develops, it must be a reciprocal exchange
Reis and Shaver (1988)
For a relationship to develop their needs to be reciprocity
What are the strengths of self disclosure as a factor affecting attraction?
Research support for social penetration:
+ Sprecher and Hendrick (2004)
+ Sprecher et al (2013)
+ Has practical value, (Haas and Stafford (1998))
Sprecher and Hendrick (2004)
Studied heterosexual couples and found positive correlation between relationship satisfaction and self disclosure. Those who reciprocated self disclosure were more committed.
Sprecher et al (2013)
Further study confirmed the reciprocity of self disclosure as a factor that helped relationships to become closer and more satisfying.
How does self disclosure have practical value?
it can help people who want to improve the communication in their relationships as they can use it to increase intimacy
Haas and Stafford (1998)
57% of homosexual men and women said open and honest self disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened relationship
What are the weaknesses of self disclosure as a factor affecting attraction?
- Much of the research is correlational, - Not true for all cultures (Nu Tang et al (2013))
How is self disclosure not true for all cultures?
not true that increasing depth and breadth of self disclosure leads to more satisfying and intimate romantic relationships studied in individualistic and collectivist cultures
Nu Tang et al (2013)
reviews research into sexual self disclosure and concluded men and women in individualistic cultures self disclose more sexual thoughts and feelings than in collectivist cultures.
Shackelford and Larsen (1997)
people with symmetrical faces are rated as more attractive as it shows genetic fitness
Dion et al (1972)
physically attractive people are consistently described as strong, sociable and successful when compared to unattractive people
What are the advantages of the Halo effect?
Research evidence:
+ Palmer and Peterson (2012)
+ Cunningham et al (1995)
+ Kim (1997)
What are the weaknesses of the Halo effect?
- Research evidence to contradict the halo effect (Towhey)
Towhey
asked male and female participants to rate how much they liked an individual based on a photo and some info. Also completed a MACHO scale and found those who scored higher judged physical attractiveness more.
Walster and Walster (1969)
matching hypothesis, made the computer dance where partners were randomly allocated and the hypothesis did not match
Berscheid et al (1971)
replicated the computer dance study but this time each participant was able to select their partner from people of varying degrees of attractiveness and they chose people that matched them
What are the advantages of the matching hypothesis?
Research support from Walsters study
+ Practical use
+ Feingold (1988)
Feingold (1988)
Meta-analysis of 17 studies and found significant correlation in ratings of attractiveness between romantic partners
What is the weakness of the matching hypothesis?
- not supported by real world research (Taylor et al (2011))
Taylor et al (2011)
studied the logs of a popular online dating site. This was a real life test of matching hypothesis. Online daters sought meetings with people more physically attractive than themselves appearing not to consider their own level of attractiveness.
Kerchoff and Davis (1962)
There were filtering factors at different stages of the partner selection process as people try to choose the best fit
Kerchoff and Davis (1962) procedure
Longitudinal study of 94 couples from Duke uni, each answering 2 questionnaires to assess degree of shared values and needs to assess closeness
Kerchoff and Davis (1962) findings
Divided into short term (-18months), found similarity in values important and long term (+18months), found complementary needs as important
What are the strengths of filter theory?
Research support:
+ Kerchoff and Davis
+ Taylor (2010)
+ Hoyle (1993), Tidwell
Taylor (2010)
Found 85% of americans who got married in 2008 had married someone from their own ethnic group supporting social demographic idea
Hoyle (1993)
Supports filter theory when looking at importance of attitude similarity and common values as perceived similarity predicted attraction more than actual attitudes
Tidwell on Hoyle (1993)
Tested the hypothesis during speed dating event
What are the weaknesses of filter theory?
- Levinger (1970)
- criticised, Anderson (2003)
- Online dating doesn’t support it
Levinger (1970)
Found that many studies fail to replicate findings from Kerckhoff and Davis based on filter theory after conducting research on 330 couples
Why has filter theory been criticised?
because it suggests that people are attracted to each other because they have similar demography and social characteristics
Anderson (2003)
contradicted filter theory and found from longitudinal study that partners became more similar and experienced emotional convergence
How has online dating shown a lack of support for filter theory?
Internet has meant that there is a reduction in social demographic variables and it’s easier to meet others so it lacks temporal validity.
