Social Psychology: Affiliation & Attraction Flashcards
Leon Festinger
Created Social Comparison Theory
Social Comparison Theory
We are drawn to affiliate because of the tendency to evaluate ourselves in relationship to other people.
3 Principles of Social Comparison Theory
- People prefer to evaluate themselves by objective, nonsocial means.
- The less similarities of opinions and abilities between two people, the less the tendency to make these comparisons.
- When a discrepancy exists with respect to opinions and abilities, there is a tendency to change one’s position so as to move it in line with the group.
Stanley Schachter’s Research
Greater anxiety does lead to greater desire to affiliate. If affiliation provides a way of comparing one’s opinion and abilities, you might expect that the great the need to compare one’s abilities or opinions, the greater the desire to affiliate.
Reciprocity Hypothesis
We tend to like people who indicate that they like us and vice versus
Aronson & Linder
Created Gain-and-Loss Principle
Gain-and-Loss Principle
An evaluation that changes will have more of an impact than an evaluation that remains constant.
Social Exchange Theory
A person weighs the rewards and costs of interacting with another. The more the rewards outweigh the costs, the greater the attraction to the other person.
Equity Theory
We consider not only our own costs and rewards, but the costs and rewards of the other person.
Need Complimentarity
People choose relationships so that they mutually satisfy each other’s needs.
Physical Attractiveness
A determinant of attraction
Attractiveness Stereotypes
The tendency to attribute positive qualities and desirable characteristics to attractive people.
Spatial Proximity
People will generally develop a stronger liking for someone who lives within a few blocks than several neighborhoods away
Mere Exposure Hypothesis
Familiarity factor of attraction
Helping Behavior
Behaviors that benefit other individual or groups of people.
Altruism
A form of helping behavior where the person’s intent is to benefit someone else at some cost to themselves.
John Darley & Bibb Latane
Researched Bystander Intervention
Bystander Effect
The reluctance of people to intervene to help others in emergency situations when other people also witness the situation.
Bystander’s Apathy
An individual whose only interest in is himself.
Social Influence
The influence of other people will evoke similar actions/ behaviors in a given emergency.
Diffusion of Responsibility
The influence of other people will impact a bystander’s responsibility, blame and guilt of a given emergency. The more people the less likely they are to help.
Pluralistic Ignorance
Leading others to a definition of an event as a nonemergency
Empathy
The ability to vicariously experience the emotions of another and potentially a factor in helping behavior.
Empathy - Altruism Model
Using the relationship between empathy and helping behavior to determine helping behavior. Increased empathy increased motivation to help.
