Attraction and Close Relationships (2)

Studies and notes

Psychological Wellbeing

people are happier in close relationships, though sadness may hinder relationship formation

Physical Wellbeing

better health outcomes after heart attacks for those in happy relationships (Williams et al., 1992; Coyne et al., 2001)

Lower mortality rates for individuals with strong social ties (Berkman and Syme 1979)

Explanation

social support (partner responsiveness) buffers stress and promotes healthier lifestyles

Neuroscientific Evidence for Social Exclusion

social exclusion activates the Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (linked to physical pain) (Eisenberger et al. 2003;2012)

General Attractiveness

babies prefer faces adult deem attractive (Langlois et al., 1991)

preferences for symmetry (Langlois et al., 1994) and averageness (Perrett et al., 1999)

Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR)

0.70 in women signals health/fertility (Singh 1993; Marlowe and Wetsman 2001)

Proximity

friendships form more easily among neighbours (Festinger et al., 1950)

Familiarity

mere exposure increases liking (Zajonc 1968)

Similarity

matching hypothesis - people pair with those of equal desirability (Garcia and Kherkonsky 1997)

Reciprocity and Mirroring

mutual responsiveness stenghtens bonds

Misattribution of Arousal

physiological arousal (e.g. on a bridge) can be misattributed as attraction (Dutton and Aron 1974)

Passionate Love

Intense, sexual arousal (Hatfield and Wallster 1978)

Companionate Love

stable, affectionate (Watts and Stenner 2005)

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory (1986)

three components: intimacy, passion, commitment

combines affect, physiology, and cognition

Attachment Theory (Bowlby and Ainsworth)

Attachment Styles: Secure, Avoidant, Anxious

Secure

healthy exploration and reassurance seeking

Avoidant

Self-sufficient, emotionally distant

Anxious

Clingy, fearful of abandonment

Supporting Studies

Avoidant-anxious pairings are common (Kirkpatrick and Davies 1994)

Secure attachment predicts relationship satisfaction (Madey and Rogers 2009)

Narratives in Relationships

relationships follow story-like arcs (Buhler and Dunlop 2019)

Key Themes

Redemption vs. contamination narratives

shared positive narratives - higher satisfaction

Social Construction of Love (Averill, 1985)

Cultural Influence, Language and EmotionCu

Cultural Influence

Love is shapred by cultural paradigms (e.g. the “romantic ideal”).

historical shifts (e.g. medieval vs. modern love)

Language and Emotion

labels like “I love you” signify commitment, not just emotion

Physiological symbolism (e.g. love = heart)