Attraction and Relationships: From First Impressions to Close Relationships

A collection of flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on attraction and relationships.

What is the Propinquity Effect?

The finding that the more we see and interact with people, the more likely they are to become our friends.

What is the mere exposure effect?

The more exposure we have to a stimulus, the more apt we are to like it.

What is the relationship between similarity and attraction?

We are more drawn to people who are like us than to those who are opposites.

What qualities make a man physically attractive?

Prominent cheekbones, large chin, and defined jawline.

What qualities make a woman physically attractive?

Large eyes, prominent cheekbones, full lips, narrow cheeks, and small chin.

What assumptions are made about attractive people?

It is assumed that they have desirable qualities and they often receive preferential treatment.

What did Dutton & Aron (1974) study about attraction?

Men on a high suspension bridge were more likely to call an attractive female interviewer.

What is companionate love?

Feelings of intimacy and affection we feel for someone for whom we care deeply.

What is passionate love?

An intense longing accompanied by physiological arousal for another person.

How do men and women differ in their experience of love?

Men fall in love more quickly and often report love at first sight more than women.

How does culture influence the experience of love?

Romantic love is less valued in collectivist cultures compared to individualist cultures.

What evolutionary explanation is given for love?

Human behavior, including love, has evolved to maximize reproductive success.

What are attachment styles?

Expectations about relationships based on early experiences with caregivers.

What characterizes a secure attachment style?

Trust, lack of concern over being abandoned, and viewing oneself as worthy and well-liked.

What is an anxious/ambivalent attachment style?

Characterized by concern that others won't reciprocate intimacy, increasing anxiety.

What defines an avoidant attachment style?

Suppression of attachment needs due to past rebuffs in intimacy.

How does attachment style affect relationship satisfaction?

Attachment style influences satisfaction, commitment, and trust in relationships.

What is the social exchange theory?

People's feelings about relationships depend on perceived rewards, costs, and alternatives.

What is Rusbult’s Investment Model?

People’s commitment to a relationship depends on satisfaction, investment, and quality of alternatives.

What does Equity Theory state?

Happiness in relationships comes from an equal ratio of rewards, costs, and contributions.

What are exchange relationships?

Casual relationships governed by the need for a comparable ratio of rewards and costs.

What are communal relationships?

Long-term relationships where the primary concern is responsiveness to each other’s needs.

How does commitment affect perceptions of attractiveness?

Those committed to a relationship rate attractive individuals as less attractive.

What is the self-expansion model?

Proposes that relationships help individuals grow and fulfill potential.

What are common reasons for why relationships end?

Dissimilarity, low rewards, high costs, inequity, boredom, and attractive alternatives.

What are Baxter's strategies for ending a relationship?

Withdrawal/avoidance, positive tone, manipulative strategies, open confrontation.

What is a finding regarding ex-partners' online activity?

Monitoring ex-partners online can lead to significant distress post-breakup.

What is a healthy approach to coping with a breakup?

Focusing on personal growth and lessons learned from the relationship.

What did research reveal about gender differences in romantic beliefs?

Men are more likely to endorse the belief that true love lasts forever.

How does attachment style influence coping strategies?

Securely attached individuals use more effective strategies for coping with conflict.

Why might people experience anxiety in close relationships?

Due to an anxious/ambivalent attachment style characterized by intimacy concerns.