Sociocultural Theories of Attraction - Human Relationships

Question 1

Sociocultural Theories of Attraction

Answer 1

Environmental and cultural factors. Psychologists in the sociocultural approach argue that there is no empirical proof that cognition precedes any form of decision-making. Robert Zajonc argues it is more likely that decisions are made with little to no cognition. Instead, he says that we first like something and then we rationalize our decision.

Question 2

Reverse Cognition

Answer 2

make judgments first and then seek to justify them by rationalization.

Question 3

Mere-exposure effect

Answer 3

Psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things simply because its familiar. More frequently exposed, the more likable to the person. key role in relationships, and proposed by Zajnoc.

Question 4

Moreland and Beach (1992)

Answer 4

Aim:
To test the validity of the Mere Exposure Effect (the phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus increases positive perceptions) in a naturalistic setting.
Method:
Sample:
130 undergraduate psychology students (63 males, 67 females) in a personality psychology course.
Procedure:
Confederates: Four women posed as students and attended class sessions without interacting with other students.
Woman A: 0 sessions.
Woman B: 5 sessions.
Woman C: 10 sessions.
Woman D: 15 sessions.
Procedure:
Each woman arrived early, walked to a visible spot, and sat taking notes during class.
Left a few minutes after class ended.
At the end of the semester:
Participants viewed slides of the four women and rated them on traits like attractiveness, popularity, intelligence, warmth, honesty, and success (scale 1–7).
Participants also indicated familiarity with the women.
Key Measurement:
Attractiveness Ratings (out of 7):
0 visits: 3.62
5 visits: 3.88
10 visits: 4.25
15 visits: 4.38
Findings:
Mere Exposure Effect:
Women who attended more classes were rated more positively, even though participants did not recall them being familiar.
Attractiveness ratings increased with the number of visits.
Naturalistic Validation:
The effect occurred under real-world conditions, not just in a laboratory.
No Gender Difference:
Male and female participants responded similarly, ruling out sex as a confounding variable.

Question 5

evluation points for moreland and beach (1992)

Answer 5

Strengths:
Naturalistic Setting:
Conducted in a real-world classroom environment, enhancing ecological validity.
Controlled Variables:
Confederates followed identical procedures to ensure consistency.
Random assignment of attendance frequency minimized bias.
No Interaction:
Prevented influence of personal interactions, isolating the mere exposure effect.
Limitations:
Familiarity Reporting:
Participants did not recognize the women as familiar, suggesting unconscious processes may drive the effect.
Generalizability:
Sample limited to undergraduate psychology students; results may not apply to other populations.
Limited Traits Assessed:
Focused on a specific set of traits; the effect on other types of judgments remains unexplored.

Question 6

What influence does culture have on attraction?

Answer 6

Research shows that culture has no effect on whom people find attractive and how relationships are formed. Due to globalization: society is now more diverse.

While previously largely argues that passionate love is largely a Western phenomenon, due to marriage seen as culmination of loving relationship. In cultures where marriage are arranged, relationship between love and marriage is other way around. The reason for this difference is quite clear. You Americans marry the person you love; we love the person we marry.

Question 7

Buss (1989)

Answer 7

Aim:
To investigate cross-cultural similarities and differences in mate selection preferences.
Method:
Sample:
Over 10,000 respondents from 37 cultures across six continents.
Procedure:
Participants completed two questionnaires regarding mate selection preferences.
Data were analyzed for both universal trends and cultural differences.
Key Findings:
Universal Trends:
Financial Prospects: Women ranked financial prospects as more important than men in 36 out of 37 cultures.
Age Preference:
Men preferred younger mates.
Women preferred older mates.
Chastity:
Rated as more important by men than women in 23 cultures.
Cultural Differences:
USA: Love ranked 1st.
Iran: Love ranked 3rd. High importance given to education, intelligence, ambition, chastity.
Nigeria: Love ranked 4th. High importance on good health, neatness, desire for home and children.
China: Love ranked 6th. High importance on good health, chastity, domestic skills.
South Africa (Zulu): Love ranked 7th. High importance on emotional stability, maturity, and dependability.

Question 8

Evolutionary Explanation from Buss

Answer 8

Buss argued that the similarities across cultures reflect universal mate selection preferences shaped by evolutionary pressures:
Women value financial prospects due to their role in supporting offspring.
Men value youth as a sign of fertility.
Chastity is prioritized by men as a mechanism to ensure paternity certainty.

Question 9

Evaluation points for Buss (1989)

Answer 9

Strengths:
Large, Diverse Sample:
Over 10,000 participants from 37 cultures enhances reliability and generalizability.
Cross-Cultural Approach:
Highlights universal trends and cultural variability, contributing to the understanding of human mate selection.
Evolutionary Perspective:
Provides a theoretical framework for interpreting the universal trends.
Limitations:
Cultural Context:
Some cultures may interpret questionnaire items differently due to linguistic and cultural variations.
Social Desirability Bias:
Self-reported data may reflect cultural norms or stereotypes rather than actual preferences.
Overemphasis on Evolutionary Factors:
Does not fully account for the influence of cultural, social, and economic factors on mate preferences.
Love in Rankings:
Cultural variability in the importance of love suggests that mate selection is not solely driven by evolutionary pressures.

Question 10

Evaluating sociocultural theories of attraction

Answer 10

Accounts for cultural differences in what is found attractive, unlike biological theories
Many studies are experimental in nature → replicable to establish reliability
Theories are less feterministic and more holistic
Highly artificial and dno’t predict what will happen in natural world
Studies have poorly defined variables of “attraction” o rliking”
Cultural research: tendency to stress the difference between cultures (reality: more similarities than differences). Cultures also change, hence moving toward a more globalized version of attraction
Studies based on questionnaire and survey – bias and demand characteristics
Majority of research is etic in nature