Attraction and Relationships Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is the need to belong and what are the two parts to it?
Like physical needs, humans have a fundamental need to connect to others
Two parts: need frequent positive interactions w/ others, need to form social bonds (relationships)
What are the four factors in attraction?
Proximity
Similarity
Reciprocal liking
Physical attractiveness
What is functional distance?
How often people’s paths cross
What did the Festinger et al. (1950) apartment study reveal about how functional distance is related to attraction?
65% of participants said their closest friend was in the same apartment building
Of the 65%: 41% said their closest friend lived next door, 22% said their closest friend lived two doors down, and 10% said their closest friend was at the end of the hall
Closer functional distance = more attraction
Why does proximity lead to attraction?
More likely to come into contact
Might be in proximity b/c of shared interests
What is the mere exposure effect?
The tendency for novel stimuli to be liked more/rated more positively after repeated exposure
What did the Mita et al. (1977) photos vs. mirror images study reveal about the mere exposure effect?
Participants were shown normal images of themselves and mirrored images of themselves, as well as pictures of others → preferred mirrored pic of themselves and normal pic of others (what they see more often)
What did the Newcomb (1961) housing study reveal about similarity’s importance in attraction?
Male transfer students: similar attitudes → close relationships
What is complementarity?
Opposites attract
What is the matching hypothesis?
The tendency to choose as partners those that match in attractiveness
What did the Huston (1973) fear of rejection study reveal about the matching hypothesis?
Men rated women on attractiveness → said they would date women with matching attractiveness (picked most attractive woman if told every woman expressed interest → suggests picking matching attractiveness is out of fear of rejection)
What did the Curtis & Miller (1986) study reveal about reciprocal liking?
Participants were told that their research partner either liked/disliked them → behaviors matched their expectation (self-fulfilling prophecy)
Is flattery effective in reciprocal liking?
Effective even when randomly generated, but undermined if the motive was suspect
What did the Aronson & Linder (1965) study reveal about flattery?
Participants eavesdropped on a conversation about them → liked the people that went from negative comments about them to positive comments about them the most, disliked the people who did the reverse the most
Increases in praise over time > consistently flattering
What is the beautiful-is-good effect?
Belief that attractive people also have a wide range of other positive traits
What did the Kalick (1977) study reveal about the effects of plastic surgery on the beautiful-is-good effect?
Students viewed images of women pre- and post-plastic surgery → post-plastic surgery women were perceived as more likeable and kinder
What are contrast effects?
Attractiveness is relative
What did the Kenrick (1989) centerfold study reveal about contrast effects?
Seeing pictures of attractive women made men rate their wives/partners as less attractive (we view others as less attractive when we see more attractive people)
What are the three parts to Sternberg’s triangular theory of love?
Passion: excitement, longing, sexual attraction
Intimacy: sharing, emotional support, liking
Commitment: investment in maintaining the relationship
What is the difference between passionate love and companionate love?
Passionate: dopamine high, temporary
Companionate: milder, more stable, deepens w/ time
What is attachment theory?
Relationship models are developed as infants and carried throughout life
Determined via studies with infants → either played alone, had a caregiver leave and return, or had a stranger in the room
What are the three attachment styles detailed in attachment theory?
Secure attachment: comfortable with intimacy, caregiver as safe “home base”
Avoidant attachment: uncomfortable with intimacy, not upset when caregivers leave
Anxious attachment: worried, clingy (even before caregiver leaves), seeking and resisting intimacy
What are the caveats to attachment theory?
Consistency in attachment possibly driven by personality
Consistency not super high
Insecure + secure can = both secure
What is loneliness?
The distressing experience of perceiving one’s social relationships to be less in quantity, and especially in quality, than desired
