Chapter 3 - Attraction & Journal Article A

Capilano Canyon Suspension Bridge or Control Bridge Study

-Attractive women approached men on scary bridge (capilano) or normal bridge (control) -Men were asked to complete a questionnaire -Thematic Apperception Test - what is happening in the picture -after completing the questionnaire, the woman (gloria) gave her phone number to the men -looked to see which guys called Gloria -50% of guys who walked across scary bridge called, 13% of guys on normal bridge called

Pennebaker et al., 1979: "Closing Time" study

-Men approached at 9, 10:30 or 12 PM to rate attractiveness of women in the bar at the time -Are the men single and looking or in a committed relationship? -At 10 PM, the men rated the women as unattractive, as time went on, the women became more attractive -The committed guys stayed about the same as the went on

Journal Article A: Necessities vs. Luxuries

-Men prefer attractiveness in a mate more than women -Women prefer status and resources in a mate more than men -But neither gender reports that those characteristics are all that important What's up with that? why is this gender difference emerging so consistent?

Our Bias for Beauty: "What is Beautiful is Good"

-We like to think that pretty people are outgoing and kind because we're attracted to them, and we want them to like us in return -Attractive people make better overall impressions on us than less attractive people -Attractive people judged to be more sensitive, kind, interesting, strong, poised, modest, sociable, outgoing, exciting, and sexually warm and responsive -stereotype says that if one is beautiful they will have all these other good qualities -Strong evidence for better interpersonal skills of beautiful people -Stereotype effect holds across cultures, but changes in content of stereotype

When can proximity be a disadvantage?

-When people meet online why? what you see on the web may not be what you get -When partners in a long distance relationship reunite after some time

Disadvantages to being attractive

-others lie to pretty people more often e.g. willingness to misrepresent their interest, personalities, and incomes to get a date with them

Advantages to being attractive

-tend to be less lonely -more socially skilled -a little happier than the rest of us -able to have sex with a wider variety of people if they want

Why does arousal cause attraction? (2 reasons)

1. Misattribution of Arousal - Physiological arousal mistakenly attributed to presence of woman (vs. scary bridge) 2. Arousal Magnifies Any Response - Arousal just magnifies typical response - Can lead to increases or decreases in attraction

Similarity: Why? (6 reasons)

1. Reassuring, validating 2. Convergence of goals, desires, needs 3. Ease of interaction 4. Familiarity = comfort, security 5. Approval from others (family) 6. Anticipate greater acceptance

Those who want a relationship the most...

Are rejected more by others

Preschoolers (Dion & Berscheid, 1974)

Attractive more popular

Stimulus-Value-Role Theory

Bernard Murstien (1987) -attraction based on stimulus info involving age, sex, and looks value stage--> attraction depends on similarity in attitudes and beliefs as we learn whether we like the same kinds of pizzas, movies, vacations, etc -role compatibility becomes important when we finally find out if we agree on the basics of parenting, careers, household cleaning, etc..

White (1980)—matching in attractiveness predicts courtship progress over nine-months (better than personality!)

Best "matching" predictor of relationship longevity, better than personality! WHY? Mismatch causes pressure in the relationship -Sense of "entitlement" for under-benefitted (more attractive person may feel like they should be owed for the beauty) -Sense of "owing" for over-benefitted (less attractive person feels like they have to work/owe their partner) -Poaching (other people look at a mismatched relationship and assume that the more attractive person doesn't value the relationship as much)

What do we confuse the bias for beauty for?

Bias for beauty may lead us to confuse beauty with talent

Subtle Indirect Influences

Can be kindness, good looks, or pleasing personality

Kinds of Similarity

Demographics: similarity in age, sex, race, education, religion, and social class -similarity in attitudes and values -similar personalities

Moms and Babies (Langlois, Ritter, Casey, & Sawin, 1995)

Good looking baby: more affectionate and playful Less attractive baby: focus on other people/things

Generalized Reciprocity

If a participant generally desired others (unselective desire), partners did not like the participant and felt less chemistry

Dyadic Reciprocity

If a participant uniquely desired a particular partner (selective desire), that partner reciprocated that liking and felt more chemistry

Exposure to those we dislike

Increasing exposure to those we dislike may lead us to like them less, NOT more!

Luxuries

It would be nice to have ...

Similarity: Liking those who are like us

Like attracts like

The "Computer Dance Study" (Berscheid, Dion, Walster [Hatfield], & Walster, 1971)

Measured college students' intelligence, social skills, personality and attractiveness -paired them randomly as dates for a dance -Measured attraction to date at end of dance -How did attractiveness compare to other traits?

Proximity

More often than now, friendships and romance grow out of interactions with those who are nearby

Women Waist to Hip Ratio

Most attractive waist to hip ratio (WHR) = 0.7 -means the waist is 30% smaller than the hips (hourglass shape)

Men Waist to Hip Ratio

Most attractive waist to hip ratio is 0.9 -broad shoulders and muscles are attractive in men

Necessities

My partner must have ...

Is there correlation between a woman's beauty and the amount of time she spends interacting with men?

No correlation but pretty women do get more dates -men's looks are correlated with the number and length of the interactions they have with women

2 Different Types of Rewards Influence Attraction

Noticeable Direct Rewards and Subtle Indirect Benefits

Fatal Attractions

Occur when a quality that initially attracts one person to another gradually becomes one of the most obnoxious, irritating things about that partner e.g. - you used to like your partners sense of spontaneity but now you hate that they never make or stick to plans

Mate Value

Overall attractiveness as a reproductive partner

Does playing hard to get work?

Playing hard to get does not work -Being SELECTIVELY HARD TO GET works (being a difficult catch for everyone but the person you're trying to attract)

We are attracted to those whose....

Presence is rewarding to us

Direct Rewards

Refer to all the evident pleasures people provide us

Mere Exposure

Repeated contact

Reciprocity of Liking: Selective and Un-selective

Selective: Only likes certain person Un-Selective: Not necessarily disciminating between a wide range of suiters

Do Opposites Attract?

Some cases yes -people are not routinely more content with dissimilar, rather than similar, partners

Balance Theory

Suggests that people desire consistency among their thoughts, feelings, and social relationships

Why is reciprocity so attractive?

The need to belong The pain of rejection (the same as physical pain!)

Once a level of necessities is achieved ...

Then people will make preferences based on luxuries

True or False: Women dress more provocatively and wear more cosmetics when they're fertile

True -only exception is if they are not on birth control then this is not true

Around the world, there are 3 themes in the criteria with which people evaluate potential mates:

Warmth and Loyalty - being trustworthy, kind, supportive, and understanding Attractiveness and Vitality - being good-looking, sexy and outgoing Status and Resources - being financially secure and living well

Those who were not similar in attractiveness...

Were more likely to break up

Matching

When partners in established romantic relationships tend to have similar levels of physical attractiveness -the more serious and committed a relationship becomes, the more obvious matching is

Adulthood (Reis, Nezlek, & Wheeler, 1980):

Women: Number of dates Men: number and length of interactions with women