Social Psychology: Attraction and Relationship Formation Study Guide

Practice questions covering the first part of the Chapter 11 study guide, focusing on proximity, similarity, reciprocal liking, and physical attractiveness.

What is the propinquity effect?

The tendency for people to become friends or develop relationships with those they encounter frequently because they live or work nearby.

In the Festinger et al. (1950) study, why was the random assignment of residents important?

It ensured that friendships could not be explained by residents choosing their neighbors beforehand, proving that physical proximity itself influenced friendship formation.

In Festinger's 1950 study, what percentage of friendships were with people living in the same building?

About 65%.

What is functional distance?

Functional distance refers to how often people cross paths because of building design, rather than just physical distance.

What specific building features increased friendship formation in Festinger’s study due to functional distance?

Living near staircases, mailboxes, or building entrances.

What is the mere exposure effect?

The tendency to like people or things more simply because we encounter them repeatedly.

What is the major caveat to the mere exposure effect?

Repeated exposure does not increase liking if the person is unpleasant or annoying; it may actually increase dislike.

Between 'birds of a feather flock together' and 'opposites attract,' which saying does research support?

Birds of a feather flock together; people are generally attracted to those similar to themselves.

According to Newcomb (1961), what factors predicted friendship formation among college men?

Similar attitudes, similar backgrounds, and similar values.

What did the library seating study by Mackinnon, Jordan, & Wilson (2011) conclude?

Students tended to sit closer to people who looked similar to themselves, suggesting an unconscious attraction to those who resemble them.

What were the results of the Christakis & Fowler (2014) study on friendship and genetics?

Friends were found to be genetically more similar than strangers.

Which is a stronger predictor of attraction: actual similarity or perceived similarity?

Beliefs about similarity (perceived similarity) are often a stronger predictor than actual similarity.

In which types of relationships is similarity less important?

Short-term relationships, casual dating, and brief interactions.

What is reciprocal liking?

The phenomenon where people generally like those who they believe like them.

What nonverbal cues can indicate that someone likes another person?

Smiling, eye contact, leaning forward, open body language, nodding, and frequent attention.

What did Koranyi & Rothermund (2012) find regarding participants' attention and liking?

Participants spent more time looking at photos of people they believed liked them.

How do gender differences regarding physical attractiveness change when comparing self-reports to actual behavior?

While men report valuing attractiveness more than women do, behavior observation shows that both sexes show a strong preference for attractive partners.

What is consistently rated as the single most important physical characteristic by heterosexual, gay, and lesbian participants?

Facial attractiveness.