Unit 4: Attraction Flashcards
Direct Rewards
noticeable rewards we obviously receive from our interaction with others
Indirect Rewards
benefits of which we’re not always aware and that are merely associated with someone else
Instumentality
the extent to which someone is able to help us achieve our present goals
Proximity
more often than not, our friendships and romances grow out of interactions with those who are nearby
Mere Exposure
even if we have never talked to them, we tend to like people whose faces we recognize more than those whose faces are unfamiliar to us
Waist-To-Hip Ratio (WHR)
the most attractive WHR is a curvy 0.7 in which the waist is 30% smaller than the hips
this “hourglass” shape appeals to men around the world
Matching
partners in established romantic relationships tend to have similar levels of physical attractiveness
that is, their looks are well matched
Mate Value
our overall attractiveness as a reproductive partner
Stimulus-Value-Role Theory
we gain three different broad types of information about our partners as a new relationship develops
first stimulus, then value, and lastly role information
Fatal Attraction
occur when a quality that initially attracts one person to another gradually becomes one of the most obnoxious, irritating things about that partner
Complementarity
reactions that provide a good fit to our own
What are rewards?
we are attracted to others whose presence is rewarding to us
What are noticeable direct rewards?
social support
advise
attractive, sex
What are subtle indirect benefits?
not as much stress
interactions can be associated with positive memories
may not be aware of how pleasurable similarities are
What is instrumentality?
the extent to which someone is able to help us achieve our present goals
Why do heterosexual people who know members of the LGBTQ+ community have more positive attitudes toward them?
proximity
if you have positive experience, they are tied to that group
mere exposure effect
similarity, can recognize similarities if we get to know them
What are the traits that are associated with physical attractiveness?
kind
interesting
strong
poised
outgoing
sociable
nurturant
exciting date
sensitive
good character
sexually warm and responsive
What were the results of the study by Sigal and Ostrive (1975)?
swindle: attractiveness did not minimize sentencing
burglary: attractiveness lowered the sentencing
What is consensus of physical attractiveness?
overwhelming consensus about strangers
across ethnic groups
newborns prefer attractive faces
What is the evolutionary perspective of attractiveness?
symmetrical faces/bodies enjoy better mental and physical health
most attracted to shapes that signal highest likelihood of good health
attractive people reproduce more successfully
What is the evolutionary perspective on how woman’s preferences change during their cycle?
women’s behavior toward men also changes when they’re fertile
men think women smell, sound, and look better when they’re about to ovulate
changes in women’s preferences that accompany their menstrual cycles
How does similarity relate to attractiveness?
likely to end up with others who are as attractive as we are
more obvious in serious and committed relationships
may operate as a screening device
What was the study by Byrne & Nelson (1965)?
the greater the proportion of attitudes people share, the more they like each other
In what way is matching a broad process?
people usually end up with others of similar mate value, but specific rewards may be different
rewards are commodities that people use to attract more desirable partners than they might otherwise entice
