Love & Attraction

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to love, attraction, and relationship dynamics from the lecture notes.

Four Defining Features of an Experiment

Independent Variable (IV), Dependent Variable (DV), control, and random assignment.

Sternberg

’s Triangular Theory of Love

A theory describing love through three components: passion, intimacy, and commitment.

Components of Love (Sternberg's Theory)

Passion, intimacy, and commitment, which combine in different ways to form seven types of love.

Passionate Love

Characterized by behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects; linked to specific brain chemistry; tends to have a specific timeframe; possibly evolved for efficient pair bonding and partner choice.

Habituation (in love)

The process where brain activation by the same stimuli can overwhelm, leading to less passionate feelings for the same person over time.

Maintaining Passion

Requires effort and novelty, though some couples can maintain feelings of passionate love for decades.

Companionate Love

The affection and tenderness felt for those with whom our lives are deeply intertwined; also known as friendship love.

Characteristics of Companionate Love

Based on a deep sense of friendship, involves companionship and enjoyment of shared activities, built on admiration, trust, and respect; sex is less intense and plays a less central role; women often report higher levels.

Neural and Hormonal Level of Companionate Love

Activates areas of the brain associated with caregiving and is tied to vasopressin and oxytocin.

Love Over Time

Passionate love tends to decrease over time, while companionate love increases (at least initially); both may decline over the course of a marriage, but do not decline with age.

Fundamental Principle of Interpersonal Attraction

We are attracted to those who have the capacity to reward us.

Direct Rewards

All the positive consequences we directly obtain from being with someone, such as gifts, physical contact, interest/approval, affection, and laughter.

Indirect Rewards

Benefits that are associated with our interaction with someone, like similar names, common birthdays, or pursuing partners whose traits (e.g., facial symmetry) may benefit offspring.

Process Model of Mate Selection

A model based on who's appealing (physical attractiveness, status, familiarity, similarity), who's accessible (proximity: physical, cyber, social), and who is interested (reciprocal liking) to find 'the one'.

Impact of Physical Attractiveness

Influences interactions and perceptions from infancy through adulthood, affecting things like maternal bonding, peer acceptance in preschoolers, number of dates, and popularity/loneliness.