Psychology of Attraction, Mate Selection, and Relationship Dynamics

Study : Participants rated yearbook photos of people they knew and strangers also rated the same photos.

What did Kniffin & Wilson (2004) find regarding physical attractiveness ratings?

A large amount of variance in physical attractiveness ratings was explained by liking the person. Strangers have a more objective approach.

Another Kniffin and Wilson (2004) study :

They tracked participants’ perceptions over 6 week period of intense interaction (working on an archeological dig).

What did they found ?

Liking someone is an important factor of attractiveness, especially for women.

What method was used to explore face preferences and desired personality traits?

Participants rated personality traits they find attractive and selected faces they found attractive, which were then used to create composite faces.

What is the minimal parental investment ?

Smallest amount of effect, time, energy and resources a parent must invest in their offspring to successfully pass on their genes.

What is the minimal parental investment for males and females?

Males have minimal time investment and biological cost, while females have a greater investment of time and resources due to eggs, pregnancy and childcare.

What is the consequence of disparity of time investment between male and female.

It create a large asymmetry for both members of the species.

What are the consequences of minimal parental investment for males?

High variance in reproductive success, strong intrasexual competition, strong preference for fertility cues, and strategic flexibility in mating.

What are the consequences of minimal parental investment for females?

Lower variance in reproductive success, more choosiness in mate selection, and a preference for partners who can provide resources and high-quality genes.

What did early research by Buss & Barnes (1986) reveal about mate preferences?

Most attributes were rated similarly by men and women, but men valued physical appearance more, while women valued resource acquisition characteristics.

How do structural powerlessness and gender role socialization affect mate preferences?

Women may find status and resources attractive in men due to less access to these, and traditional socialization practices maintain these differences.

How does gender equality impact women's mate preferences?

In cultures with greater gender equality, women place less importance on a man's status and resources, but this does not affect the importance of female attractiveness.

Study : Meta-analysis of 97 studies involving romantic evaluations of a partner. (Context like speed-dating or established relationships)

What did Eastwick et al. (2014) find regarding real-life preferences in romantic evaluations?

Attractive partners and those with better earning potential were rated more positively, with no significant difference by sex. (Higher for attraction first)

What does the phrase 'What is good is beautiful' imply in the context of attraction?

It suggests that people perceive individuals they like as more physically attractive than those they do not.

What role does familiarity play in attractiveness ratings?

Participants' subjective feelings and relationships with individuals significantly impact their ratings of attractiveness.

What are the implications of sex differences in mate preferences?

Men prioritize youth and physical beauty, while women prioritize status and resources, reflecting different adaptive strategies.

What was the finding of the study by Little et al. (2006) regarding face preferences?

The result is that our preferences for faces are not just based on symmetry, but also reflect our desired partner traits (personnality)

What is the impact of intrasexual competition on male mating strategies?

It leads to behaviors such as physical dominance, status striving, and risk-taking to enhance reproductive success.

What is the adaptive problem faced by females in mate selection?

Females must balance securing resources and commitment while selecting mates who can provide high-quality genes.

What is the primary reason males are more likely to pursue short-term mating strategies?

Due to asymmetry in levels of minimal parental investment and risk.

Can both males and females shift between mating strategies?

Yes, they can shift between short-term and long-term strategies when conditions are suitable.

What do both men and women prioritize in short-term relationships?

Attractiveness.

How does attractiveness differ in importance for men in long-term relationships?

Attractiveness matters more for men in long-term relationships compared to women.

What is the core idea of the dual mating strategy hypothesis?

Women may pursue different mating strategies depending on the timing within their menstrual cycle.

What is the focus of a woman's short-term mating strategy according to the dual mating strategy hypothesis?

Acquiring 'good genes' from physically attractive men.

What is the focus of a woman's long-term mating strategy?

Securing resource investment.

What is the ovulatory shift hypothesis?

It suggests that women's preference for cues of genetic quality is heightened during their fertile window.

What type of male traits do women prefer during the high-fertility phase of their menstrual cycle?

Traits indicating genetic fitness, such as masculinized faces and facial symmetry.

What do women prefer at other points in their menstrual cycle?

Cues of prosociality, such as kindness and warmth.

What did early studies find regarding women's preferences during their high fertility phase?

Women showed a stronger preference for masculinized faces for hypothetical short-term relationships.

What is the social pain hypothesis?

It suggests that physical pain mechanisms may have evolved to support social affiliation.

How does social pain signal the need for group cohesion?

It encourages cooperation, reconciliation, and survival.

What are the two components of pain according to the social pain hypothesis?

Sensory-discriminative component and affective-motivational component.

What does the sensory-discriminative component of pain provide?

Information about intensity, quality, and location of pain.

What does the affective-motivational component of pain relate to?

The emotional experience of pain and the motivation to escape or stop the painful experience.

What is the relationship between selectivity and attraction in social interactions?

People prefer to feel that the other likes them specifically, rather than universally.

What factors predict the intensity of unrequited love?

Perceived potential value of the relationship, perceived probability of forming a relationship, and perceived benefits of loving the person.

What is the implication of cultural scripts regarding unrequited love?

Cultural depictions often show persistence leading to success, but less from the target's perspective.

What should one consider when deciding to 'play hard to get'?

While it may create interest, clear communication of selective interest is more important. We want to feel that the other like us specifically (selectivity)

What is the impact of ambiguity in relationships?

Ambiguity can be bad to both partners and the relationship itself. We want to be reliable and steady to have a sens of security.