Theories of Attraction and Marriage Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering psychological, sociological, and anthropological theories of love, attraction, and the history of marriage and divorce laws.

Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love

A theory of love consisting of three components: Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment.

MHC Genes (Major Histocompatibility Complex)

Immune system genes that generate a response to infectious pathogens; individuals are often attracted to those with opposite MHC genes to produce offspring with a robust immune system.

Murstein's Filter Theory

A theory of mate selection where individuals pass through stages including field of eligibles, propinquity, physical attraction, homogamy, compatibility, and trial before marriage.

Social Homogamy

A sociological concept where individuals are attracted to people from similar backgrounds, including age, race, religion, and socio-economic status.

Sweaty T-shirt Experiment

A study concluding that individuals are attracted to the scent of people who have opposite MHC genes.

Dowry

Money, goods, or land given by the bride's family to the groom or his family; historically used to establish a home but evolved into a payment to the groom's family.

Dower Rights

The legal rights of a wife to a share of her husband's property if he passes away; these rights prevent the sale of a home without the spouse's consent in places like Alberta.

Principle of Averageness

The psychological phenomenon where individuals find familiar or average faces more attractive than unique ones.

Field of Eligibles

The general population of potential mates available to an individual in the first stage of Murstein's Filter Theory.

Propinquity

Physical proximity to potential mates, which is a key factor in the early stages of relationship formation.

Evolutionary Psychology (Mate Selection)

The perspective that mate preferences serve an adaptive function for procreation; women seek good providers, while men prefer fertile-appearing women.

Sexual Dimorphism

The perception of attractiveness based on hormone-linked traits; women may prefer masculine features when fertile and more feminine features when pregnant.

Halo Effect

The cognitive bias of assuming someone has positive personality traits simply because they are physically attractive.

Ideal Mate Theory

A symbolic interactionist perspective suggesting attraction is based on an individual's unconscious image of an ideal partner, often described as love at first sight.

Propinquity Effect

The tendency for individuals to form friendships or romantic relationships with those they encounter or interact with frequently.

Social Exchange Theory

A psychological and sociological perspective where people assess their own resources (wealth, status, looks) and determine what they can offer a partner.

Helen Harris Attributes of Romantic Love

Identified attributes including desire for emotional merger, idealization of the beloved, emotional dependency, exclusivity, and intrusive thinking.

Limerence

An intense emotional and psychological state of being in love, characterized by obsessive thoughts and a deep desire for reciprocation.

Dopamine

A brain chemical released when falling in love that creates sensations of pleasure, reward, and motivation.

Norepinephrine

A chemical associated with increased energy, excitement, and nervousness during the initial stages of falling in love.

Serotonin Levels

Levels of this chemical drop when someone is in love, which is linked to obsessive thinking about the beloved.

Principal of Least Interest

The theory that the partner who is less emotionally invested in a relationship holds more power and influence over decisions.

Bride Price

Payment from the groom's family to the bride's family to compensate for the loss of her labor and resources.

Dowry Prohibition Act ($1961$)

An Indian law that made dowries illegal, carrying a penalty of up to $5$ years in jail.

Divorce Act ($1968$)

Introduced the concept of permanent marriage breakdown as a valid ground for divorce in Canada, but required a $3$-year separation.

Divorce Act ($1986$)

Reduced the required separation period for divorce in Canada from $3$ years to $1$ year.

Awareness (Divorce Phase)

The first phase of divorce where one individual decides to end the marriage after a period of denial.

Reorganization (Divorce Phase)

The third phase of divorce where individuals establish separate lives and negotiate new roles, such as parenting.

Cultural Convergence

The process where cultures become more similar due to technology, communication, and transportation.

Suttee

A traditional practice where a widow would throw herself on her husband's funeral pyre; outlawed in the $19\text{th}$ Century.

Indian Act ($1876$)

A discriminatory Canadian law aimed at the assimilation of Indigenous peoples, which initially caused women to lose status if they married non-Indigenous men.

Bill C-$31$ ($1985$)

An amendment to the Indian Act that addressed gender discrimination and restored status to those who had lost it.