Relationships

What is a parasocial relationship?

One-sided and unreciprocated

What is used to evaluate a person’s level of obsession with celebrities?

Celebrity attitude scale

What is Celebrity attitude scale?

Measures person’s level of obsession with celebrities

Who invented the Celebrity attitude scale?

McCutcheon (2002)

Who used the Celebrity attitude scale?

Maltby (2006)

What did Maltby (2006) do?

Large scale survey using McCutcheon (2002) Celebrity attitude scale

Describe McCutcheon (2002) Celebrity attitude scale

-23 statements

-High agreement with statements indicates deep emotional involvement

What is

-23 statements

-High agreement with statements indicates deep emotional involvement

Description of McCutcheon (2002) Celebrity attitude scale

How many levels of parasocial relationships is there?

3

What are the 3 levels of parasocial relationships?

Entertainment social

Intense personal

Borderline pathological

What is entertainment social?

Least intense level of celebrity worship

Celebrities viewed as source of entertainment and fuel for social interaction

What is

Least intense level of celebrity worship

Celebrities viewed as source of entertainment and fuel for social interaction

Entertainment Social

What is Intense-personal?

Intermediate level

Reflects a greater personal involvement in parasocial relationship with celebrity

What is

Intermediate level

Reflects a greater personal involvement in parasocial relationship with celebrity

Intense - personal

What is borderline pathological?

Strongest level of celebrity worship

Uncontrollable fantasies and extreme behaviours eg: spending a lot of money on celebrity related objects

What is

Strongest level of celebrity worship

Uncontrollable fantasies and extreme behaviours eg: spending a lot of money on celebrity related objects

Borderline Pathological

McCutcheon (2002) explanation for parasocial relationships

Deficiencies in people’s lives - Absorption - addiction model

What is the absorption- addiction model?

Explanation for parasocial relationships

2 parts of absorption- addiction model

Absorption = Fulfilment in celebrity worship motivates individual to become preoccupied with celebrity existence and identify with them

Addiction = Individual needs to sustain commitment to relationship by feeling stronger and closer involvement with celebrity. Leads to more extreme behaviour and delusional thinking

What is the absorption part of absorption - addiction model?

Fulfilment in celebrity worship motivates individual to become preoccupied with celebrity existence and identify with them

What is

Fulfilment in celebrity worship motivates individual to become preoccupied with celebrity existence and identify with them

Absorption part of Absorption - addiction model

What is Addiction in the Absorption- addiction model?

Individual needs to sustain commitment to relationship by feeling stronger and closer involvement with celebrity. Leads to more extreme behaviour and delusional thinking

What is

Individual needs to sustain commitment to relationship by feeling stronger and closer involvement with celebrity. Leads to more extreme behaviour and delusional thinking

Addiction in Absorption - addiction model

What 2 attachment types are most likely to form parasocial relationships?

Insecure resistant

Insecure avoidant

What is insecure resistant and insecure avoidant most likely to do?

Form parasocial relationships

Why are insecure resistant attachment most likely to form parasocial relationships?

Need to have unfulfilled needs met w/out threat of rejection real life relationships bring

What is Need to have unfulfilled needs met w/out threat of rejection real life relationships bring?

Why insecure resistant people are more likely to form parasocial relationships

Why are insecure avoidant people likely to form parasocial relationships?

Avoid pain + rejection of relationships

What is Avoid pain + rejection of relationships

Why are insecure avoidant more likely to form parasocial relationships

Strength of parasocial relationships

Research support for absorption addiction model

Strength of parasocial relationships - Research support for absorption addiction model

P: Research support for absorption addiction model

E: Researchers have linked the entertainment social level of celebrity attitude scale w/ extrovert personality type, intense-personal level w/ neurotic traits and borderline pathological w/ psychotic personality types

C: Shows correlation b/t level of celebrity worship and diff psychological functioning

Limitaions of parasocial relationships

Lack of research support

Methodological issues

Limitation of parasocial relationships - Lack of research support

P: Lack of research support

E: Research shown Ps w/ insecure attachment no more likely to form parasocial relationships than Ps w/ secure attachment

C: Questions explanation’s validity

Limitation of parasocial relationships - Methodological issues

P: Methodological issues

E: Most of the research studies use self-report techniques which can create social desirability bias. Most of the studies also use correlational studies which DOESNT show cause and effect

C: No evidence to show parasocial relationships are caused by specific experiences

Strength of parasocial relationships

Research support for absorption addiction model

Strength of parasocial relationships - Research support for absorption addiction model

P: Research support for absorption addiction model

E: Researchers have linked the entertainment social level of celebrity attitude scale w/ extrovert personality type, intense-personal level w/ neurotic traits and borderline pathological w/ psychotic personality types

C: Shows correlation b/t level of celebrity worship and diff psychological functioning

Limitaions of parasocial relationships

Lack of research support

Methodological issues

Limitation of parasocial relationships - Lack of research support

P: Lack of research support

E: Research shown Ps w/ insecure attachment no more likely to form parasocial relationships than Ps w/ secure attachment

C: Questions explanation’s validity

Limitation of parasocial relationships - Methodological issues

P: Methodological issues

E: Most of the research studies use self-report techniques which can create social desirability bias. Most of the studies also use correlational studies which DOESNT show cause and effect

C: No evidence to show parasocial relationships are caused by specific experiences

What part of relationships is sexual selection?

Factors affecting attraction

What did Darwin notice about evolution?

Favours development of some features that are attractive to opposite sex

More attractive = more likely to get a mate

These features increase reproductive fitness

What is evolutionary approach also known as?

Socio-biological approach

What is sexual selection?

Natural selection of characteristics that increase reproductive success

Survival of the hottest

What is

Natural selection of characteristics that increase reproductive success

Survival of the hottest

Sexual selection

What is sexual dimorphism?

Differences in size and shape b/t humans + females of same species

Only for secondary sexual characteristics (unrelated to reproduction + change in puberty) eg: height, breasts

What is

Differences in size and shape b/t humans + females of same species

Only for secondary sexual characteristics (unrelated to reproduction + change in puberty) eg: height, breasts

Sexual dimorphism

Research support of evolutionary theory

Singh Waist to hip ratio

→ Males generally find any hip + waist sizes attractive as long as ratio of both is 0.7

Attractive coz is an honest signal (hard to fake) that women are fertile

Evolutionary factors are reflected in patterns of human behaviour through partner preferences

What is

Singh Waist to hip ratio

→ Males generally find any hip + waist sizes attractive as long as ratio of both is 0.7

Attractive coz is an honest signal (hard to fake) that women are fertile

Evolutionary factors are reflected in patterns of human behaviour through partner preferences

Research support for evolutionary theory

What did Singh do?

Waist to hip ratio experiment

What ratio of waist to hip did men find attractive in Singh?

0.7

What is anisogomy?

Biological difference of male + female gametes

What is

Biological difference of male + female gametes

Anisogomy

2 consequences of anisogomy

-No shortage of fertile males but fertile women are rare

-Brings about inter + intra sexual selection

What is

-No shortage of fertile males but fertile women are rare

-Brings about inter + intra sexual selection

2 consequences of anisogomy

What is intra-sexual selection?

Male strategy, within sexes

Competition of men to mate with a female

Winner gets to reproduce

Behavioural + psychological consequences eg:aggression coz helped them guard mate:

-Size = evolved to be bigger in shape to demonstrate strength

-Sperm competition = larger testicles, bigger ejaculations = faster swimming sperm

-Mate guarding = keeping an eye on and remaining close to female to prevent mating w/ other males

What is

Male strategy, within sexes

Competition of men to mate with a female

Winner gets to reproduce

Behavioural + psychological consequences eg:aggression coz helped them guard mate:

-Size = evolved to be bigger in shape to demonstrate strength

-Sperm competition = larger testicles, bigger ejaculations = faster swimming sperm

-Mate guarding = keeping an eye on and remaining close to female to prevent mating w/ other males

Intra-sexual selection

What is

-Size = evolved to be bigger in shape to demonstrate strength

-Sperm competition = larger testicles, bigger ejaculations = faster swimming sperm

-Mate guarding = keeping an eye on and remaining close to female to prevent mating w/ other males

3 consequences of intra-sexual selection

What is inter-sexual selection?

Female strategy

Quality over quantity coz eggs are rarer than sperm

Consequences of making wrong choice more serious than male so selects a genetically fit partner who is able + willing to provide resources

Leaves males competing for fertile females

3 consequences of intra-sexual selection

-Size = evolved to be bigger in shape to demonstrate strength

-Sperm competition = larger testicles, bigger ejaculations = faster swimming sperm

-Mate guarding = keeping an eye on and remaining close to female to prevent mating w/ other males

What is

Female strategy

Quality over quantity coz eggs are rarer than sperm

Consequences of making wrong choice more serious than male so selects a genetically fit partner who is able + willing to provide resources

Leaves males competing for fertile females

Inter-sexual selection

What did Fisher (1930) do?

Came up with sexy son hypothesis

Who came up with sexy son hypothesis?

Fisher (1930)

What is sexy son hypothesis?

Women mate with a male who has desirable characteristic

Son inherits characteristic, making it more likely for females to mate with him (runaway process)

What is

Women mate with a male who has desirable characteristic

Son inherits characteristic, making it more likely for females to mate with him (runaway process)

Fisher (1930) Sexy som hypothesis

3 strengths of sexual selection

-Research support for female choosiness

-Research support from Lonely hearts

-Research that preferences come from evolutionary mate selection strategies

Strength of sexual selection - Research support for females’ choosiness

P: Research support for females’ choosiness

E: Clarke + Hatfield (1989) sent female + male students across a uni campus to ask Would you go to bed with me tonight? Not a single woman said yes, 75% of men said yes

C: Supports the 2 diff strategies for mate selection

Strength of sexual selection - Research support from Lonely hearts

P: Research support from Lonely hearts

E: Researchers in 1995 studied Lonely Hearts adverts in newspapers. When describing what they offered, women tended to state attractiveness and indications of youth and men resources

C: Supports women seeking resources and men signs of reproductive fitness

Strength of sexual selection - Research support for partner preferences derived from evolutionary mate selection strategies

P: Research support for partner preferences derived from evolutionary mate selection strategies

E: Buss (1989) tested over 10K Ps from 33 countries asking qs relating to attributes evolutionary theory suggests should be important in mate selection. Males prefer young, attractive women. Females prefer resource rich, ambitious men

C: Supports sex differences from anisogomy + partner preferences from sexual selection

Limitation of sexual selection

Ignores social + cultural influences

Limitation of sexual selection - Ignores social + cultural selection

P: Ignores social + cultural selection

E: Preferences change as social norms change. Chang et al (2011) comp. partner preferences in China over 25 years, some changed + some stayed the same, aligning with social changes.

C: Both evolutionary + cultural influences must be taken into account when explaining reproductive behaviour

3 strengths of sexual selection

-Research support for female choosiness

-Research support from Lonely hearts

-Research that preferences come from evolutionary mate selection strategies

Strength of sexual selection - Research support for females’ choosiness

P: Research support for females’ choosiness

E: Clarke + Hatfield (1989) sent female + male students across a uni campus to ask Would you go to bed with me tonight? Not a single woman said yes, 75% of men said yes

C: Supports the 2 diff strategies for mate selection

Strength of sexual selection - Research support from Lonely hearts

P: Research support from Lonely hearts

E: Researchers in 1995 studied Lonely Hearts adverts in newspapers. When describing what they offered, women tended to state attractiveness and indications of youth and men resources

C: Supports women seeking resources and men signs of reproductive fitness

Strength of sexual selection - Research support for partner preferences derived from evolutionary mate selection strategies

P: Research support for partner preferences derived from evolutionary mate selection strategies

E: Buss (1989) tested over 10K Ps from 33 countries asking qs relating to attributes evolutionary theory suggests should be important in mate selection. Males prefer young, attractive women. Females prefer resource rich, ambitious men

C: Supports sex differences from anisogomy + partner preferences from sexual selection

Limitation of sexual selection

Ignores social + cultural influences

Limitation of sexual selection - Ignores social + cultural selection

P: Ignores social + cultural selection

E: Preferences change as social norms change. Chang et al (2011) comp. partner preferences in China over 25 years, some changed + some stayed the same, aligning with social changes.

C: Both evolutionary + cultural influences must be taken into account when explaining reproductive behaviour

Males care more about attractiveness than females, reflecting

intra-sexual selection

5 common factors of attractiveness according to evolutionary theory

-Signs of genetic fitness

-Facial symmetry

-Signs of health

-Indicators of youth

-Signs of sexual maturity

What is

-Signs of genetic fitness

-Facial symmetry

-Signs of health

-Indicators of youth

-Signs of sexual maturity

5 common factors of attraction, according to evolutionary theory

What did Shackleford + Larsen (1997) find?

People w/ symmetrical faces rated as more attractive

Possibly a sign of genetic fitness that cant be faked

Who found People w/ symmetrical faces rated as more attractive

Possibly a sign of genetic fitness that cant be faked?

Shackleford + Larsen (1997)

Importance of initial attraction

McNulty (2008) found initial attractiveness continued to be an important factor years later

Who found that initial attraction continued to be an important factor years later?

McNulty (2008)

People have developed, through evolution, a preference for features that signal

high quality genetics

Example of features that signal youth

Baby face

What are baby faces called?

Neotenous features

What is neotenous features?

Baby face

Example of neotenous features

Large eyes

Round face

Big lips

Small nose

What is

Large eyes

Round face

Big lips

Small nose

4 examples of neotenous features

Why is a baby face atttactive?

Triggers a protective or caring instinct

Valuable resource for women wanting to reproduce

What is

Triggers a protective or caring instinct

Valuable resource for women wanting to reproduce

Why a baby face is attractive

Who discovered the Halo effect?

Dion (1972)

What is the Halo effect?

People have preconceived ideas of attractive ppl’s personalities- almost universally positive

Dion (1972) found physically attractive ppl rated more kind, sociable and successful than unattractive people

What is

People have preconceived ideas of attractive ppl’s personalities- almost universally positive

Dion (1972) found physically attractive ppl rated more kind, sociable and successful than unattractive people

Halo effect

What is the matching hypothesis?

Proposed by Walter (1966)

Idea people rate themselves and go for similarly attractive people

Have to make a realistic judgement about own value + compromise based on that

Reduces chance of rejection

What is

Proposed by Walter (1966)

Idea people rate themselves and go for similarly attractive people

Have to make a realistic judgement about own value + compromise based on that

Reduces chance of rejection

Matching hypothesis

2 strengths of physical attractiveness

-Cultural consistency in what is attractive

-Research support for halo effect

Strength of physical attractiveness - Cultural consistency of what is considered attractive

P: Cultural consistency of what is considered attractive

E: Cunningham et al (1995) found female features of small nose, high eyebrows and large eyes were rated attractive by White, Hispanic and Asian males. Ppl judged attractive judged to be more trustworthy and friendly

I+D: Universality suggests nature side of nature vs nurture

C: Consistency suggests physical attractiveness is culturally independent and may have evolutionary roots

Strength of physical attractiveness - Research support for Halo effect

P: Research support for halo effect

E: Palmer + Peterson (2012) found physically attractive people rated as more politically knowledgable and competent than unattractive people. Persisted even when Ps knew they had no expertise

C: Halo effect can be observed in real life

Limitation of physical attractiveness

Not everyone considers physical attractiveness to be important