Relationships - Factors Affecting Attraction in Romantic Relationships

Question 1

What’s Self-Disclosure?

Answer 1

People who share information are liked more; this is because when an individual discloses personal information to someone else, this disclosure suggests they trust that person.

Question 2

What’s the Social Penetration Theory?

Answer 2

Altman and Taylor suggest as relationship between individuals develops, interpersonal communication’s breadth and depth increases gradually from shallow to intimate.

Question 3

What’s Reciprocity?

Answer 3

Relationships will only develop if both individuals are active in disclosing information and responding appropriately.

Question 4

What are Attributions?

Answer 4

Individuals consider the motivations behind self-disclosure; someone who discloses information to everyone is seen as less attractive as someone who reveals information to fewer people.

Question 5

What’s Appropriateness?

Answer 5

Whilst revealing information’s generally seen as improving relationships, breaking social norms or revealing information too early can have opposite reaction, lowering attraction.

Question 6

AO3: Research to Support Self-Disclosure

Answer 6

P: Sprecher and Hendrick.
E: Observed couples self-disclosure on dates.
E: Men and women were found to have similar levels of self-disclosure, and positive correlation was found between amount of self-disclosure and measures of quality of relationship (e.g. love and commitment).
L: Increasing validity of self-disclosure.

Question 7

AO3: Research to Support Self-Disclosure is Correlational

Answer 7

P: Correlational.
E: May not be causal link; rather than self-disclosure causing attraction, we may self-disclose more to people we’re attracted to.
E: Third factor; if we share interests with people, may lead to both increased disclosure and attraction.
L: Limits support and internal val of research, cannot establish cause and effect.

Question 8

AO3: Research to Support Self-Disclosure Has Cultural Relativism

Answer 8

P: Cultural relativism.
E: Generally thought that women are better communicators, and more willing to share intimate information.
E: Could be an example of alpha bias, exaggerating differences between men and women.
L: Limits external validity.

Question 9

What’s Physical Attractiveness?

Answer 9

We’re more attracted to physically good-looking people.

Question 10

What Does the Evolutionary Theory Suggest in Terms of Physical Attractiveness?

Answer 10

Suggests we’re more attracted to physically good-looking people because what we perceive as attractiveness are visible indications of genetic and physical health e.g. facial symmetry.
From evolutionary perspective, makes sense to mate with someone capable of conceiving and successfully raising a child and passing on the best genes possible.

Question 11

What’s the Halo Effect?

Answer 11

People with the physical characteristic of physical attractiveness are assumed to be successful in other areas of life e.g. intelligence.
This can result in others interacting more positively towards them, acting as a self-fulfilling prophecy, making them more successful.

Question 12

What’s a Matching Hypothesis?

Answer 12

We cannot all mate with the most attractive members of population.
We realistically evaluate own attractiveness compared to others.
We avoid pain of rejection by not chasing partners we see as too attractive.
We retain partners by not choosing someone who will leave us for someone else.

Question 13

AO3: Research to Contradict Matching Hypothesis

Answer 13

P: Taylor et al.
E: Studied activity logs of popular dating site. Was a real-life test of the matching hypothesis because it measured actual date choices and not just preferences. online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive than them.
E: Contradicts matching hypothesis as physical attractiveness factor that affects attraction in romantic relationships as people didn’t consider own level of attractiveness when making decisions.
L: Lowering validity of theory.

Question 14

AO3: Limitation of Research into Physical Attractiveness

Answer 14

P: Often carried out using self report methods e.g. questionnaires.
E: Could lead to social desirability bias.
E: Ppts may lie about how important physical attractiveness is in potential partner for fear of seeming shallow.
L: Weakens overall support of physical attractiveness.

Question 15

AO3: Matching Hypothesis Theory More Valid

Answer 15

P: Matching hypothesis theory more valid.
E: Online dating sites and apps depend heavily on visual cues for partner selection.
E: Provides more feedback for people to assess attractiveness rating.
L: Supports matching hypothesis theory.

Question 16

What’s the Filter Theory?

Answer 16

Kirckchoff and Davies argue whilst the ‘field of potential partners’ is very large, we only actually become attracted to those people who pass through a series of filters, these people form the ‘field of desirables.’

Question 17

1st Filter: What’s Social Demography?

Answer 17

We’re more likely to come into contact with people who live nearby and people who share characteristics e.g. social class, level of education, etc.

Question 18

2nd Filter: What are Similarities in Attitudes?

Answer 18

Due to social demography, we’re more likely to come into contact with similar core values, these people are seen as more attractive/ compatible.
These shared attitudes also help to encourage self-disclosure at the start of the relationships.

Question 19

3rd Filter: What’s Complementarity?

Answer 19

We’re attracted to those people who provide support for our emotional needs.
In this way, partner can have mutually beneficial differences.
e.g. both partners responsible for different activity planning, as if both wanted to plan the same activity, this may lead to conflict.
This is seen as important for the success of long-term relationships.

Question 20

AO3: Strength of Kirckchoff and Davies’ Filter Theory

Answer 20

P: Longitudinal study of student dating couples.
E: Found similarity of attitudes was important factor for short- term relationships.
E: Complementary was the most important factor in long term relationships.
L: Provides evidence for similarity and complementarity.

Question 21

AO3: Complementarity May Not Fully Apply to Long Term Relationships

Answer 21

P: Could be that people initially pick partners with different attitudes.
E: Correlation of similar values seen in long-term couples could be explained by beliefs changing over time as partners communicate.
E: Complementarity may develop over time due to each partner finding their role within a relationship.
L: Lowers validity of complementarity, similarity of needs may be better associated with long term satisfaction.

Question 22

AO3: Filter Theory lacks temporal validity

Answer 22

P: Filter Theory lacks temporal validity
E: Changing attitudes, globalisation and migration have resulted in more frequent relationship formations across ethnicities and cultures.
E: Also virtual relationships enables by dating apps lack traditional filters like social demography.
L: Filter theory may not be appropriate to use in modern society.