Relationships - Rewards and Needs Formation

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Relationships - Rewards and Needs Formation

Advantages

  • Griffit and Veitch found evaluations of strangers were positive when evaluations were made in comfortable surroundings.
  • May and Hamilton  asked females to rate photos of males while either pleasant or not pleasant played. Those who listened to pleasant music rated males more attractive
  • Cunningham had males watch a happy or sad film then interact with a female. More positive interactions came from those watching the happy film
  • Biological support from Aron who found people in love showed strong activity in the reward centers of the brain.

Disadvantages

  • There is cultural bias towards individualist cultures. Lott suggests in some cultures women focus on the needs of others. Therefore the theory does not explain relationship formation in collectivist cultures.

Evaluation

The advantages support the theory as they show how positive emotions relate to positive experiences. Also how these emotions provide a reward. However cultural bias criticizes the theory due to it offering other reasons why relationships form. 

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