We are attracted to people that are ___.
Honest.
Attraction is selfless. True or false?
False. Attraction is selfish.
Everything we find attractive is intrinsically ___.
Rewarding.
A person should be good, but not too prefect. What is this called?
The Pratfall Effect.
Pratfall Effect
People are seen as more attractive if they are great people, but have small flaws that they feel embarrassed about.
Why does the Pratfall Effect work?
Everyone is aware of their own flaws, and it allows people to relate to them better. It is validating.
Most people see themselves as…
Generally good people with a few flaws.
People are attracted to people to those with similar…
- Values.
- Backgrounds.
- Personalities.
People can be too much alike. True or false?
False, research has debunked this.
Opposites attract. True or false?
False, research has debunked this.
What research method is used to determine that more similar people are attractive to a person?
Phantom Other Technique.
Dissimilarity tends to ___ over time as relationship commitment increases.
Decrease.
Does research support the assertion that those who are complementary are more attractive?
No. Most complementarity is actually similarity.
Situational Complementarity
In some situations, you may see complementary patterns of interaction.
Why do we like similarity?
- It is validating.
- People who are similar are easier to get along with.
- We have an expectation that they will like us.
We do not like people who are similar when…
They are suffering, as they remind us of our own vulnerability.
Mere Exposure Effect
We like people, pictures, and objects that we have seen more.
We like people, pictures, and objects that we have seen more.
Mere Exposure Effect
Mere exposure effect only works when…
It is in a neutral or positive condition.
A Coca-Cola ad is playing over and over. This is utilizing the…
Mere exposure effect.
Mere exposure does not make someone we do not know, more likeable. True or false?
True. It makes the dislike more intense. Negative or annoying traits can be more pronounced.
Does reciprocity play into liking?
Yes. We like people who like us. This is especially true if the person likes just you, not everyone.
Why do we like people who like us?
There is a low risk for rejection, and rejection = pain.
We are attracted to those whose presence is ___ to us in some way.
Rewarding.
___ ___ theory helps explain the basics of attraction.
Social exchange.
Explain attraction using social exchange theory.
- Personality characteristics: we are attracted to those who will treat us well.
- Similarity: we like those who like out own interests.
- Familiarity: we like things that have proven themselves harmless.
- Reciprocity: we like people that are not only capable of providing us with rewards, but are likely to do so.
___ ___ is consistently identified as one of the key elements responsible for sexual attraction.
Physical attraction.
___ identify physical appearance as the biggest factor in sexual attraction more often than women.
Men.
In reality, who finds physical appearance to be the biggest factor in sexual attraction?
Both men and women.
Matching Phenomenon
We tend to partner with those that are about as attractive as we are.
Regardless of out own level of attractiveness, we may desire…
The most attractive potential partners.
What other forces (other than physical attraction) are at play in partnerships?
- Fear of rejection.
- Wanting to pursue relationships likely to work.
___ ___ associated with mismatched couples.
Cultural stigma.
Humans possess an innate bias towards what looks ___.
Beautiful.
More attractive people are rated as more…
- Friendly.
- Likeable.
- Interesting.
- Social.
How does attractiveness lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy?
More attractive people are treated as if they are nicer/friendly which prompts them to reciprocate.
According to evolutionary psychology, physical attractiveness gave important cues about…
Health, fertility, and genetic makeup.
We like ___ and ___ faces.
Symmetric, average.
Below the neck, we generally see fewer universal and more ___ ___ preferences.
Culture-specific.
Is breast size, height, or weight important for attraction?
No.
What is important for attraction below the neck?
Ratios.
What ratio is ideal for women?
Waist to hip of 0.7.
What ratio is ideal for men?
Shoulder to hip ratio of 1.4.
Why are the ratios important to attraction?
Cues to maturity, fertility.
Misattribution of Arousal
People meet in a situation where their heart rates are elevated, each person may feel the arousal was caused by the other and therefore will find thew other more attractive.
To take advantage of misattribution of arousal, you should take your date to…
Amusement parks, coffee, or scary movies.
In maintaining relationships, how does the misattribution of arousal play a role?
Allows you to engage in challenging activities together that meets both people’s skill level, and you will enjoy success in.
Strategic Pluralism
Sometimes we pursue long-term or short-term relationships to gain certain advantages.
Sexual Strategies Theory
Men and women can benefit from long- and short-term relationships, but in different ways.
Why would women engage in a short-term relationship?
They can be more selective, and have higher standards for these relationships.
Why would men want to engage in a long-term relationship?
They can be more selective, and have higher standards for these relationships.
Many authors argue that, based on research, ___ has drastically decreased on university campuses, and is replaced by ___ and ___.
Dating, hanging out, hooking up.
Reitman, from the Rolling Stone magazine, said that we are just…
“Sex-crazed hedonists.”
James talks about the hooking up culture as…
Empowering for women.
Hooking Up
- Interaction where partners are anonymous or acquaintances.
- No commitment beyond the hookup.
- Some type of sexual behaviour occurs during the interaction.
Sexual behaviours during a hookup can range from…
Kissing to intercourse.
There is almost always ___ after a hookup.
Confusion.
After a hookup, what comes out of it?
- Positive and negative emotions.
- Women reported wondering whether a relationship will develop.
- Men reported feeling emotionally attached to girls they hooked up with.
- You have no idea what will come out of it.
How common are hookups?
- 78% of all university students.
- 28% of women and 28% of men engaged in intercourse or oral sex with someone they’ve known for less than 24 hours.
Biggest factor leading to hookups are ___.
Alcohol.
How drunk you are is the best indicator of…
How far you will go sexually during a hookup.
What does alcohol allow you to do?
- Liquid courage.
- Explanation for behaviour.
91% of university women indicated hooking up occurs…
Very or fairly often at their schools.
There is an illusion of ___ about hooking up.
Universality.
Who hooks up?
Mostly university students. Usually not junior high or high school students.
Once young adults leave university, qualitative research indicates paring becomes ___ traditional.
More.
Do young adults outside of university hook up?
Not examined. Question of whether it is developmental or university culture.
Those who hook up most often…
- Greater sexual involvement (intercourse vs. kissing).
- More severe problematic alcohol consumption.
- Less likely to approach relationships based on friendship or altruism.
- High impulsivity.
- Low concern for personal safety.
- Avoidant attachment.
- Game-playing style of love.
What are some negative impacts of hookups?
- Increased psychological distress (depressive symptomatology) for women.
- Emotional ambivalence.
- Painful emotional and social experiences.
Give an example of a game-playing style of love.
Agree that you can never tell your partner what you’re thinking.
What are the most important characteristics of those who hook up?
- Consume alcohol problematically.
- Game-playing style of love.
Does hooking up cause depression?
No particularly. There was a study that found no association, while another suggested that the depression may precede hookups.
Emotional ambivalence that results from hooking up.
- Positive and negative feelings at the same time.
- Awkward, desirable, confused, adventuresome, and disappointed.
How does sexual regret happen for women?
Women go further than they expected, and regret it later.
How does sexual regret happen for men?
It centres around selecting an undesirable partner.
Unwanted sex most often happens…
During a hookup.
Women do not perceive ___ as a possible outcome of a hookup.
Rape.
Unwanted sex is different from rape and sexual assault because…
Women don;t think rape during a hookup is possible. They think they’ve already consented, and don’t think they can take it back.
The overall likelihood of hooking up is ___ between men and women.
Equal.
___ are more likely to report having intercourse or oral/anal sex.
Men.
What is the difference between gender in hooking up?
Impact of hooking up (after the fact).
Hooking up is more detrimental for women. How?
- Poorer mental outcomes.
- Rate their emotional reaction more negatively than men.
- Worse sexual health consequences.
What are the relational consequences of hooking up?
- Two people are more attached to each other if they have sex.
- Many hookups occur between people that don’t know each other too well.
- Criteria for selecting a hookup partner is different from what they want in a long-term relationship.
- Women are much more likely than men to engage in a hookup with the hope that a relationship will develop afterwards.
Men ___ their standards for a hookup, while women ___ their standards.
Lower, increase.
