Factors Affecting Attraction

Which three factors make it more/less likely that you will form a relationship with somebody?

Physical attraction, self-disclosure, and filter theory

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Define physical attractiveness

important factor in formation of romantic relationships; within and across cultures, there's agreement on what is attractive (large eyes, youthful face in women; strong jaw in men)

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What are the two possible reasons for physical attractiveness?

evolutionary theory related to sexual selection, and the halo effect

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What is Shackelford and Larson's evolutionary theory related to sexual selection?

Shackelford and Larson found people with symmetrical faces are rated as more attractive as it's an honest sign of genetic fitness (hard to fake). EEs argue that we're more likely to reproduce successfully with an attractive partner as PA is a sign of gene

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What is the halo effect?

we have preconceived ideas about the personality traits PA people must have. Dion phrased this as: "What is beautiful is good."

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What were Dion's findings concerning the halo effect?

PA people are consistently rated as kind, strong, sociable, and successful compared to unattractive people. The belief PA have these characteristics makes them even more attractive, so we behave positively towards them (example of self-fulfilling prophecy

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What does the matching hypothesis theorize?

we tend to choose partners of a similar level of PA to ourselves to avoid risk of rejection

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Outline Walster's 'The Computer Dance'

students invited to a dance and rated for PA by objective observers. Completed questionnaire about themselves and told the info would be used by a computer to choose their partner (actually random)

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What were the findings of Walster's test?

the hypothesis was not supported. The most liked partners were the most PA

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How did Berscheid replicate the study, and what was found?

Berscheid's PPTs selected their partner from people of varying PA, and tended to choose those who matched them in PA

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Conclusions of research into the MH

we tend to seek partners whose PA matches our own. Choice of partner is a compromise; we risk rejection in selecting the most attractive people so we settle for those in our league physically

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Matching Hypothesis: AO3 - Mixed Research Evidence (Walster)

(W) Walster's original study that attempted to support the MH failed to do so. This may be because the measurement of attractiveness was not reliable; the raters only had a few seconds to measure PA

(S) In Walster's follow up study, students met beforeha

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Matching Hypothesis: AO3 - Mixed Research Evidence (Feingold)

(S) Feingold carried out a meta-analysis of 17 studies and found a significant correlation in ratings of attractiveness between romantic partners. The studies looked at actual partners, which is a more realistic approach

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Matching Hypothesis: AO3 - Too Much Emphasis On PA (Towhey)

(W) Towhey found that people who scored higher on a sexist attitude scale were more influenced by PA than low scorers ... shows PA isn't universally most important, and challenges the idea that it's a significant consideration for all potential partners

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Physical Attractiveness: AO3 - Research Support For The Halo Effect (Palmer and Peterson)

(S) Palmer and Peterson found PA people rated more politically knowledgeable and competent. The HE so powerful, it persisted even when PPTs knew the PA people had no particular expertise. This suggests dangers for democracy

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Physical Attractiveness: AO3 - Research Support For The EE (Cunningham)

(S) Cunningham found women with large eyes, prominent cheekbones, and small noses rated PA by white, Hispanic, and Asian men ... what's considered PA is consistent across societies

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Define self-disclosure

revealing our feelings, attitudes, beliefs, etc to our partner so they understand us better

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Why is SD important?

our partner understands us better, and we them

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What is Altman and Taylor's social penetration theory?

the gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone, involving reciprocal exchange of info between intimate partners; signals trust

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What is Altman and Taylor's 'breadth and depth of self-disclosure'?

SD has two elements - breadth and depth. As both increase, romantic partners become more committed to each other. What we SD at the start is superficial - the outer layers of the onion; low risk info we would reveal to anyone. Revealing too much threatens

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What is Reis and Shaver's reciprocity of SD?

Reis and Shaver pointed out, for a relationship to develop, SD must be reciprocal

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What are the norms of SD?

too much too soon is unacceptable and unattractive

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Self-Disclosure: AO3 - Research Support (Sprecher and Hendrick)

(S) Sprecher and Hendrick found strong correlations between measures of satisfaction and SD

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Self-Disclosure: AO3 - Research Support (Laurenceau)

(S) Laurenceau asked PPTs to write daily diary entry and found SD was linked to higher levels of intimacy in long term married couples

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Self-Disclosure: AO3 - Issues With Supporting Research

(W) research of Sprecher and Hendrick, and Laurenceau studied people already in a relationship. Perhaps SD plays more of a role in relationship maintenance than formation

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Self-Disclosure: AO3 - Cultural Differences (Tang)

(W) Tang found people in USA (individualistic culture) SD more sexual thoughts and feelings than in China (collectivist culture) ... suggests importance of high risk SD in relationship formation may not be universal

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Self-Disclosure: AO3 - Real World Application (Haas and Stafford)

(S) Haas and Stafford found 57% of homosexuals said that open and honest SD was the main way they maintained and deepened their relationships

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Define filter theory

potential partners available to us reduced by a series of filters to a limited collection of people we would like to form a relationship with

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What are the 3 levels of filter theory?

social demography, similarity in attitudes, complementarity

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Define social demography

factors which influence chances of potential partners meeting each other (proximity, education, social class, ethnic group, religion). Anyone too 'different' is discounted as a potential partner. Most of us find shared demographic similarities attractive

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Define similarity in attitudes

Kerckhoff and Davis found similarity of attitudes was important to development of RRs, but only for couples of less than 18 months. Agreeing over basic values encourages greater and deeper communication and promotes SD

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What did Byrne describe similarity causing attraction as?

the law of attraction

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Define complementarity

partners complement each other when they have traits the other lacks. Kerckhoff and Davis found the need for complementarity more important in long term couples; later in relationship, opposites attract - gives them the feeling that together they form a w

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Filter Theory: AO3 - Problems With Supporting Research (Levinger)

(W) Levinger found many studies failed to replicate original research findings (similarities of interests, personality, attitudes typical in early stages of relationship) that formed the basis of FT ... suggests much of the research lacks reliability (not

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Filter Theory: AO3 - FT Lacks Temporal Validity

(W) rise of online dating reduced importance of some social demographic variables. Technology (dating apps) made meeting potential partners easier - may even pursue someone outside the usual demographic limits that would have applied 30 years ago for exam

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Filter Theory: AO3 - FT Assumes Initial Attraction Is Due To Similarity (Anderson)

(W) Anderson found cohabiting partners became more similar in their emotional responses over time

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Filter Theory: AO3 - FT Assumes Initial Attraction Is Due To Similarity (Davis and Rusbult)

(W) Davis and Rusbult found that over time romantic partners bring their attitudes into line with one another's ... suggests similarity is an effect of initial attraction, but not the cause

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Factors Affecting Attraction - Filter Theory: AO3 - Research Support (Kerckhoff and Davis)

(S) Kerckhoff and Davis's research found that closeness was associated with similarity of attitudes for couples of less than 18 months. For longer relationships, complementarity of needs predicted closeness

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Define social exchange theory

minimise costs, maximise profits

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Three parts of the SET

rewards, costs, and profits; comparison level; comparison level for alternatives

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Explain 'rewards, costs, and profits' and the minimax principle

in relationships we behave in line with the minimax principle: maximise rewards (love, companionship, pleasure) and minimise costs (time, stress, compromise); profitable when rewards exceed costs

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Explain comparison level

the amount of reward you believe you deserve to get from the relationship, influenced by previous experience and social norms; satisfied if our profits are higher than our CL

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Explain comparison level for alternatives

could I get greater rewards and fewer costs elsewhere?

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What are the 4 stages of relationship development?

sampling (experiment with rewards and costs); bargaining (negotiate rewards and costs at the start); commitment (rewards increase and costs lessen as relationship stabilises; institutionalisation (normative rewards and costs are well established)

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Theories Of Relationships - Social Exchange Theory: AO3 - Too Much Emphasis On Profit (Clark and Mills)

(W) Clark and Mills argue SET fails to distinguish between exchange relationships (in work) and communal relationships (romantic partners)

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Theories Of Relationships - Social Exchange Theory: AO3 - Too Much Emphasis On Profit (Argyle)

(W) Argyle considered we don't measure costs and rewards until we are dissatisfied with the relationship ... SET may have got the direction for cause and effect wrong in terms of when people think about rewards and costs

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Theories Of Relationships - Social Exchange Theory: AO3 - Concepts Are Hard To Measure And Quantify

(W) rewards and costs defined superficially (money) to measure them, but psychological rewards/costs harder to define especially since they vary from one person to another

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Theories Of Relationships - Social Exchange Theory: AO3 - Equity Of Rewards And Costs More Important?

(W) balance of rewards and costs between partners in a relationship is perhaps more important for satisfaction

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Theories Of Relationships - Social Exchange Theory: AO3 - Real World Application In Relationship Counselling (Christiensen)

(S) Christiensen treated 60 unhappy couples using ICBT (integrated couples behaviour therapy). 2/3 reported a significant improvement in their relationship quality

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16 marker points

'Discuss' and 'outline and evaluate' - same format: 6 AO1, 10 AO3 (3 para)

'refer' - different format: 6 AO1, 4 AO2, 6 AO3 (2 para)

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Writing AO3 points

into sentence

point 1

mini conclusion

point 2

comment

final conclusion - MUST link to question

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8 marker points

'Discuss' or 'outline and evaluate' - same format: 3 AO1, 5 AO3 (2 para)

'refer' - different format: 3 AO1, 2 AO2, 3 AO3 (1 para)

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Get Revising

Factors Affecting Attraction

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