PSYC 2014 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Social Exchange Theory, Sexual Maturity, Cognitive Bias
Exam 2 Lecture 11: Attraction Social Psychology
1
Attraction & Relationships
• Features we find attractive:
o Proximity, mere exposure, similarity
o Features
o Matching people
• What makes a satisfying relationship?
o Social exchange theory
o Equity theory
o Love types
o Evolutionary theory
Attraction is deteried by…
• (1) Proximity- the more we see and interact with people, the more likely we are to develop
relationships with them
o Geographic distance literal distance
o Functional distance likelihood of coming into contact
o Research Example: Housing Study- studied friendship pattern in dorms
▪ Results:
• Next-door: 41% (19 ft.)
• One-door down: 22% (32 ft.)
• Two-doors down: 10% (88 ft.)
o Can explain why many of us are so infatuated with celebrities and other icons we see
on TV and media
• (2) mere exposure effect- the more exposure we have to a stimulus (word, face, etc.), the
more apt we are to like it.
o Can explain why opposites attract
• (3) Similarity- we like those people who match our interests, backgrounds, personality,
attitudes, etc.
o Examples
▪ how birds flock with other birds who have the same color feathers
▪ studets o the sae aadei trak or i the sae ajor ere ore
likely to be friends with each other than with other students
▪ People are more likely to marry someone who is similar rather than dissimilar
o Newcomb (1961)- college men became friends with those who were similar in
demographics, attitudes, and values
o Boyden, Carrol, & Mainer (1984)- men seek men with similar personalities; shows
relationship b/w stereotypical masculine vs. feminine traits
o Interests and experiences- situations you choose to be in expose you to others with
similar traits; therefore, when you discover and create new similarities, they fuel the
relationship
▪ Close friendships are often made in college because of prolonged
propinquity
o Similarity is important because:
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Exam 2 Lecture 11: Attraction Social Psychology
2
▪ We tend to think that people who are similar to us will also like us, so we are
more likely to initiate relationships with them
▪ People who are similar validate our own characteristics and beliefs
▪ We make negative inferences about people who disagree with us
o Commitment level matters
▪ Ride or die- choose similar partner; relationships based on differences
• These relationships are hard to maintain
• Partners perceived similarity is more important than the actual
similarity
▪ Fling- purposely choose dissimilar partners
▪ What about differences?
• Differences are rewarding
• Core values are more important than superficial similarity
o Appearance- seek physical proximity to those similar in appearance and others with
similar degree of physical attractiveness
▪ Mackinnon, Jordan, & Wilson (2011)- physical similarity and seating choice.
• Found that people are subconsciously often drawn to those who look
like them
• People are more likely to ask people out on dates if similar in terms of
attractiveness level
• (4) Reciprocal Liking- we tend to like people who like us
o Examples
▪ People told that others like them reported reciprocal affections
▪ Men liked a woman who showed interest in them even when they knew she
was dissimilar to them on important issues
▪ Playing hard to get- Research has suggested that the strategy tends to
decrease how much another person likes you; all while potentially increasing
how much that person wants to be with you
• (5) Physical Attractiveness/Appearance
o Examples-
▪ Babies gaze longer at attractive faces
▪ Teaher ealuate ute hildre as sarter
▪ Attractive defendants receive more lenient sentence
▪ NO EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIP b/w attractiveness and intellect, happiness,
self-esteem, or mental health
o Assumptions about attractiveness
▪ Beauty has been associated with better health, salaries, evaluations, and
even won elections
▪ Beautiful people are thought be more sociable, sexual, happy, assertive, etc.
▪ Attractive people have meta-analyses on judgment of social competence
▪ Princesses in movies:
• Heroes attractive
• Villains Ugly
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Attraction & relationships: features we find attractive, proximity, mere exposure, similarity, features, matching people, what makes a satisfying relationship, social exchange theory, equity theory, love types, evolutionary theory. Technology & attraction: technology can shape attraction and social connection. Love and relationships: social exchange theory- weighing of rewards and costs; the comparison of alternatives. Intimacy- feelings of closeness, connectedness, and bondedness: passion- drives toward intense emotions; involves sexual attraction, intent longing. Physiological arousal, and increased heart rate: commitment, short-term decision to love someone, long term decision to maintain love, liking [intimacy alone]- involve friends and feelings of warmth and closeness. Ending relationships: american divorce rate is amost 50% of the current marriage rate, romantic relationships between unmarried individuals and every day individuals, breaking up: the process. Social psychology: fatal attraction- qualities that attract are the qualities that more disliked the most at break up. This phenomenon demonstrates important of similarity: study- college men and women.
