Week 10 Review - Attraction and Close Relationships

Question 1

What are some determinants of initial attraction?

Answer 1

• Proximity/exposure
• Similarity
• Reciprocal liking
• Physical attractiveness

Question 2

Festinger et al. (1950) housing study (proximity)

Answer 2

-university married housing residents started out as strangers, randomly assigned to apartments
-17 two-story buildings
name their 3 closest friends in the complex
-65% lived in same building
-41% of neighbors listed each other
-22% of those two doors apart
-10% opposite ends of hall

Question 3

Moreland & Beach, 1992 Classroom Study (exposure)

Answer 3

Female confederates attended class 0, 5, 10, or 15 times
Confederate sat quietly in front row
End of semester, students viewed slides of the women and rated their attractiveness.
Those who had attended more were rated higher.

Question 4

Two-stage model of the attraction process (Byrne, 1986)

Answer 4

Negative screen of Dissimilarity- if someone you meet is dissimilar Avoidance is inacted. If not dissimilar, then moving on to the….

Positive Screen of Similarity- if low similarity to someone met, Indifference occurs. if high similarity then attraction and therefore continuing contact

Question 5

What are some reasons for similarity-attraction?

Answer 5

• Social validation function- When others share our attitudes and beliefs, it makes us feel like we are right
• Attributions for disagreement- When others disagree with us on important issues we may attribute it to an unpleasant, immoral, weak, or thoughtless character
• Reciprocal liking- We assume that similar others will like us

Question 6

Curtis and Miller (1986) Reciprocal liking study

Answer 6

Targets’ rating of liking for their research partner was significantly greater when told that their research partner liked them, demonstrating reciprocal liking.

Question 7

What are some reasons for reciprocal liking?

Answer 7

• Rewarding- It feels good to be around someone who likes us

* Similarity- We like ourselves

Question 8

Physical Attractiveness

Answer 8

o More attractive, more positively you are viewed
o Babies look longer at attractive faces
o Attractive experimenters get more signatures
o Attractive suspects get lower bail and fines
o Attractive people get paid more

Question 9

Composite faces Attractiveness

Answer 9

Composites are rated as more attractive when they
–are made out of attractive vs. average faces (Perrett, May, &
Yoshikawa, 1994)
–contain a picture of us! (Little & Perrett, 2002)

Question 10

Stereotypes about attractive people

Answer 10

Physical attractiveness is not related to objective measures of intelligence, personality, adjustment, or self-esteem (Feingold, 1992) despite societal views

Question 11

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies of Attractiveness (Snyder, Tanke, & Berscheid, 1977)

Answer 11

Male Ps talked to female Ps over the phone
o saw picture of attractive or unattractive female who they thought they would talk to
• How did male Ps act on the phone?
warmer/more sociable to “attractive” female
• How did the women respond?
-those talking to male Ps who thought they were attractive were rated by independent coders as more attractive, confident, animated, and warm

Question 12

Evolutionary Perspective

Answer 12

Men and women look for different characteristics in a romantic partner

• Both seek to maximize their chances of reproductive success
• Pass genes onto next generation

Question 13

Evidence for Evolutionary Perspective of Attraction

Answer 13

Buss (1989) surveyed 9000 Ps in 37 countries

• Women valued ambition, industriousness, earning capacity more than men
• Men valued physical attractiveness more than women
• But both valued honesty, trustworthiness, and a pleasant personality the most

Question 14

Conspicuous Consumption (Sundie et al., 2011)

Answer 14

Conspicuous consumption- Buying/displaying expensive items,

showing off your resources/status.

Question 15

Who engages in conspicuous consumption? (Sundie et al., 2011)

Answer 15

Low investment men primed with a short term situation were higher in conspicuous consumption (compared to control)

Question 16

Perceptions of conspicuous consumption (Sundie et al., 2011)

Answer 16

Ps read about an opposite-sex target who had just purchased a luxury or non-luxury car

Rated desirability as a potential date and marriage partner, and perceived mating strategy

Conspicuous consumption can make men more attractive as short-term partners, but they are viewed as having a short-term strategy

Question 17

Passionate vs. Companionate Love (Hatfield, 1988)

Answer 17

Passionate Love
o	Intense longing for a person
o	Physiological arousal
Companionate Love
o	Feelings of intimacy and affection

Question 18

Triangular Theory of Love (Sternberg, 1988)

Answer 18

Passion
- arousal you experience toward your partner, including sexual attraction
- Motivational component
Intimacy
- feelings of being close to and bonded with a partner
- Emotional component
Commitment
- to love your partner and maintain that love and stay with your partner
- Cognitive component

Question 19

Higher self-disclosure, or revelations about the self made to others, is associated with what?

Answer 19

more positive affect and attraction,

greater satisfaction, commitment, and love in couples.

Question 20

Passion and Misattribution of Arousal (Dutton and Aron, 1974)

Answer 20

had a female confederate give a questionnaire and telephone number (for debriefing) to male participants
o During or after crossing a suspension bridge across a canyon
o Those approached on the scary bridge were more likely to call; presumably because they misattributed their arousal to attraction for confederate

Question 21

White, Fishbein, and Rutstein (1981) examined initial attraction as a moderator

Answer 21

Running/arousal increased attraction to attractive target and decreased attraction to unattractive target

Question 22

What is Social Exchange Theory?

Answer 22

In their relationships with others, people are motivated to maximize benefits and minimize costs

Question 23

People are more satisfied when the reward/cost ratio in their relationships with others exceeds their Comparison Level (CL)

Answer 23

Comparison Level (CL)- average expectation about the level of rewards and punishments they are likely to receive in a particular relationship

Question 24

Investment Model (Rusbult, 1983), Builds onto Social Exchange Theory

Answer 24

Adds investments: What people have put into a relationship that they can’t recover if the relationship ends

Question 25

Sarah and Greg have been dating for 2 years. Greg likes to cook for Sarah and is very thoughtful. Sarah loves all the attention. Greg wishes that Sarah wouldn’t complain as much as she does, but in general realises that nobody is perfect and relationships always have their problems. Sarah recently had a co-worker tell her that he was in love with her.

Answer 25

-Sarah-
Rewards and Costs
   - Greg cooks, is thoughtful, gives attention
Comparison Level (CL)
   - ??
Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLalt)
   -coworker says in love with her
Investments
   -2 years

-Greg-
Rewards and Costs
   -Sarah complains
Comparison Level (CL)
    -realises not everyone is perfect, forgiving.
Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLalt)
   -????
Investments
   -2 years

Question 26

People are more committed to relationships when the reward/cost ratio exceeds their Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLalt)

Answer 26

Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLalt)- expectations about the level of rewards and punishments they would receive in an alternative relationship

Question 27

Equity Theory

Answer 27

People feel happiest when the balance of rewards and costs are the same for each person in the relationship

Question 28

Exchange Relationships

Answer 28

strangers and casual acquaintances
o strict reciprocity
o keep track of who contributes what

Question 29

Communal Relationships

Answer 29

close friends, romantic partners, and family members
o mutual responsiveness to each other’s needs
o don’t keep track of contributions as closely