Social Psychology Lecture 6 PDF

Interpersonal Processes II: Social Relationships Lecture 6  Learning Outcomes At the end of this lecture you will be able to: ▪ identify factors associated with attraction ▪ discuss how these factors promote attraction ▪ describe laboratory and field res...

Interpersonal Processes II: Social Relationships Lecture 6  Learning Outcomes At the end of this lecture you will be able to: ▪ identify factors associated with attraction ▪ discuss how these factors promote attraction ▪ describe laboratory and field research on these factors ▪ compare different types and typologies of love relationships ▪ identify factors associated with maintaining satisfying relationships  Outline ▪ Liking and Loving ▪ Attraction Physical attractiveness Proximity Familiarity Reciprocity Similarity ▪ Types of love ▪ Maintaining relationships  Physical Attractiveness ▪ Important to men and women ▪ Cross-cultural standards of beauty ▪ “Averageness” ▪ Familiarity  For women For men Large eyes Large eyes Small nose Small chin Large chin Prominent Prominent cheekbones cheekbones Narrow cheeks High eyebrows Large pupils Big smile Big smile  Proximity ▪ AKA Propinquity We are more likely to see and interact with people who live/work close to us (i.e., close physical distance) The more we see and interact with people, the more we like them  41% were close friends 22% were close friends 10% were close friends Festinger, Schachter & Back (1950)  Had the most friends of all…why? Festinger, Schachter & Back (1950)  Familiarity ▪ Mere exposure effect: Repeated exposure to an object results in greater attraction to that object (Vaughan & Hogg, 2018) Can be positive or negative Mere Exposure Effect Zajonc (1968) Familiarity in the Classroom Moreland & Beach (1992)  Reciprocity ▪ We like those who like us ▪ We dislike those who dislike us  Similarity ▪ Similarity draws people together ▪ Similarity in terms of: opinions, attitudes, and values interpersonal style o e.g., how socially skilled interests and experiences not necessarily personality characteristics o romantic partners do not often have similar personalities; o friends may have similar personalities Similarity cont’d.  Similarity cont’d. ▪ Similarity promotes attraction because: similar others have qualities we like similar others validate our beliefs facilitates smooth social interactions we make negative inferences about people who disagree with us  Similarity cont’d. Similarity Attraction Expected Similarity Attraction Liking  Passionate Love ▪ Ecstatic ▪ Physically arousing ▪ Desire for physical contact ▪ Great sadness, despair, pain when things are not going well  Companionate Love ▪ Intimate, affectionate, caring ▪ Soul mates ▪ Commitment to the relationship  Comparing Types of Love Passionate Companionate Attraction Attachment Negatively correlated with Not correlated with relationship length relationship length Associated with sexuality Associated with sexuality Associated with jealousy n/a Correlated with relationship satisfaction Correlated with relationship satisfaction Correlated with commitment Correlated with commitment Correlated with each other Reis & Aron (2008); Sprecher & Regan (1998)  The Good and Bad in Relationships ▪ Positive behaviours validating, expressing appreciation, etc. ▪ Negative behaviours criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling o Gottman’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse o predicts divorce up to 6 years later with ~83% accuracy ▪ Ratio of 5:1 for a happy relationship ▪ Attributions for partner’s behaviour internal for positive and external for negative behaviours (in more satisfying relationships) external for positive and internal for negative behaviours (in less satisfying relationships) Gottman & Levenson (1999) Good luck on the final exam!