Chapter 11 - Attraction and Intimacy

This flashcard set contains various terms and definitions from Social Psychology by Myers and Twenge. Created as as study guide for Exam 3 in Social Psychology at BYU-I.

The need to belong

A motivation to bond with others in relationships that provide ongoing, positive interactions

Propinquity

The proximity (geographical nearness) that leads to liking because of interaction, anticipatory liking, and familiarity

Mere exposure

The tendency for novel stimuli to be liked more or rated more positively after the rater has been repeatedly exposed to them

Underlying factors of friendship chemistry

Reciprocal candor, mutual interest, personableness, similarity, physical attraction

Dunbar’s number

A limit on how many meaningful social relationships we can hold (approx. 150), with various limits for other types of relationships

Physical attractiveness is a _______ predictor for women, and _______ predictor for men

Moderately food, modestly good

Matching phenomenon

The tendency for men and women to choose as partners those who are a “good match” in attractiveness and other traits

Physical-attractiveness stereotype

The presumption that physically attractive people possess other socially desirable traits as well

Ironically, to be really attractive is to be _____

Perfectly average (symmetry)

Likeness begets _____, dissimilarity breeds _____

Liking, disliking

Complementarity

The popularly supposed (but inaccurate) tendency in a relationship between two people for each to complete what is missing in the other

Kassin’s four types of relevant similarity

Demographic, attitude, attractiveness, subjective experience

Ingratiation

The use of strategies like flattery by which people seek to gain another’s favor

Reward theory of attraction

The theory suggesting we like those whose behavior is rewarding to us or whom we associate with rewarding events

Robert Sternberg’s three components of consummate love

Passion, intimacy, and commitment

Sternberg’s love characterized by only intimacy and passion

Romantic love

Sternberg’s love characterized by only intimacy and commitment

Companionate love

Sternberg’s love characterized by only passion and commitment

Fatuous love

Sternberg’s love characterized by only intimacy

Liking

Sternberg’s love characterized by only commitment

Empty love

Sternberg’s love characterized by only passion

Infatuation

Passionate love

A state of intense longing for union with another - being “in love”

Conditions necessary in order to fall in love

State of emotional arousal, attributing this arousal to love, being raised in cultures that believe in romantic love, presence of an appropriate person to love

Two-factor theory of emotion

A theory assuming that: arousal × its label = emotion

What enables close relationships?

Secure attachments, equitability, intimate self-disclosure

View of self and others in secure attachment styles

Self: lovable; others: reliable

View of self and others in anxious/preoccupied attachment styles

Self: unworthy; others: must stay close

View of self and others in dismissive-avoidant attachment style

Self: self-sufficient; others: intrusive/obtrusive

View of self and others in fearful/avoidant (disorganized) attachment styles

Self: unlovable, others: unsafe

Social exchange theory

A theory that how people feel about relationships depend on their perception of: rewards and costs of the relationship, and what kind of relationship they deserve and could have with someone else

Equity in relationships

When outcomes that people receive from a relationship are proportional to what they contribute to it

Communal relationships

Relationships in which people’s primary concern is being responsive to the other person’s needs

Disclosure reciprocity

The tendency for one person’s intimacy or self-disclosure to match that of a conversational partner

Unhappy couples tend to make ___________ attributions, like ___________.

Distress-maintaining, using blame and negative attributions for partner’s behavior

Four horsemen, predictors of divorce

Criticism, defensiveness, contempt, stonewalling