8.1

Introduction to Attraction

• Attraction is influenced by biology, psychology, culture, and evolutionary pressures.

• Transition from self-awareness to understanding attraction towards others.

Key Review Points

• Theory of Mind: Important for empathy, deception, and social emotions, helps in predicting others' feelings.

• Opioids: Mimic endorphins (natural neurotransmitters that affect pain perception).

Defining Attraction

• Attraction goes beyond romantic/sexual feelings; it's also about friendship and social connections.

• Common elements of attraction include:

  • Connection

  • Chemistry

  • Compatibility

Factors Influencing Attraction

• Biological Influences:

  • Evolutionary survival strategies may shape preferences.

  • Hormones, genetics, and sensory cues play a role.

• Cultural Constructs:

  • Beauty standards vary between societies and change over time.

  • Fashion, grooming, and social status influence perceptions.

• Personal Histories:

  • Previous relationships and attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized) affect attraction.

  • Familiarity with traits from one's social group can lead to increased attraction.

Evolutionary Forces in Attraction

• Natural Selection: Focused on survival traits that help organisms live longer (e.g., immune systems).

  • Characteristics like camouflage, metabolic efficiency enhance survival chances.

• Sexual Selection: Focused on traits that enhance reproductive success, even if they may be detrimental to survival.

  • Example: Peacock's tail for attracting mates despite predator vulnerability.

• Intersexual vs. Intrasexual Selection:

  • Intersexual involves mate attraction (e.g., men appealing to women).

  • Intrasexual involves competition among the same sex (e.g., males competing for mates).

Attraction Mechanisms in Humans

• Parental Investment Theory: Differing reproductive costs lead to different mating strategies in males and females.

  • Males may seek multiple partners while females may be selective based on resource provision.

• Empirical Study (Clark and Hatfield, 1989): Demonstrated gender differences in receptivity to casual sex.

  • Findings indicated women more selective than men due to higher reproductive costs.

• Buss’ Studies: Across 37 cultures showing men's preference for physical attractiveness, women's preference for financial stability.

Jealousy as an Adaptive Mechanism

• Jealousy protects reproductive investments; men more distressed by sexual infidelity, women by emotional infidelity.

• Statistics show significant differences in how genders respond to infidelity:

  • Men: Greater concern about sexual infidelity (61%)

  • Women: Greater concern about emotional infidelity (87%)

Critiques of Evolutionary Psychology

• Oversimplification: Critics argue it reduces complex human relationships to reproductive strategies.

• Rigid Gender Roles: Models often reinforce traditional roles that do not reflect modern fluidity.

• Ignores Cultural Variability: Attraction differs significantly across cultures and economic conditions.

• Cooperative Parenting: Challenges the nuclear family idea; community child-rearing was common in early societies.

  • Critics suggest this assumption leads to health problems associated with single-caregiver models.

Alternative Models of Attraction

• Focus on social influences, historical context, and individual identities.

• Attraction may shift with cultural values and media representation; changes over time are influenced by social norms.

• Attachment Theory: Early relationships influence adult partner choices; attachments shape attraction patterns.

• Same-Sex Attraction: Concepts struggle to fit traditional models, yet still highlight social bonding advantages.

Conclusion and Reflection

• Attraction is complex; shaped by biology, culture, psychology, and personal experience.

• Understanding your attraction helps in self-awareness and recognizing how connections are formed.

• Encourage personal reflection on what influences individual attraction preferences.