Interpersonal Attraction (Psych)

Women are more hesitant than men to have sex because…

basic biology makes sex a much riskier proposition for females than males (9 months pregnancy and other potential consequences? or a few minutes of your time and a little bit of sperm?)

Yes biology plays a role in determing how selective a person will be in having sex, but so does…

culture – the reputational costs of not being selective are higher for women than they are for men

Attraction is the product of…

situational, physical, and psychological factors

Mere exposure effect

tendency for likely a stimulus increases with the frequency of exposure to that stimulus

Sometimes people think …. as a sign of attraction

physiological arousal (man and woman on a bridge together)

Physical attractiveness

is the greatest determinant of successful dates and relationships. It even influences non-romantic relationships

Different cultures have different standards of beauty but quite a few traits are in common":

1. symmetry

2. body shape (triangle man, hourglass woman)

3. age (woman immature, man mature)

although physical attraction is assessed easily and early and definitely determines who draws our attention…

once interactions occur physical appearances matter less and people’s inner qualities tend to sustain interest in each other

inner qualities

personalities, points of view, attitudes, beliefs, values, ambitions, and abilities

People are most attracted to those who are…

similar to them on dimensions such as levels of education, religious backgrounds, ethnicities, socioeconomicstatuses, personalities, political beliefs, etc.

Why is similarity attractive?

1. it is easy to interact with people that are similar because you tend to agree a lot

2. When we share attitudes/beliefs, we feel validated and more confident that those beliefs are the right ones

3. We expect them to like us – (being liked is a powerful source of attraction)

Extraordinary people can impress us, but…

they threaten our self-esteem and make us worry about our own competence (this is more common when the extraordinary person is a woman)

Truly amazing people are considered more attractive when…

they display a minor incompetence

Why do humans retain long term relationships?

Human babies require a LOT of care. If humans were like tadpoles where they were just ready to take off as soon as they live, maybe their parents might not need to form relationships. but they do so… ahaha…

Most people tend to marry for…

love

Two kinds of love

passionate love and companionate love

passionate love

experience involving feelings of euphoria, intimacy, and intense sexual attraction

companionate love

an experience involving affection, trust, and concern for a partner’s well-being

passionate love

love that initially brings people together – rapid onset, reaches peak quickly