Chapter 18 Perception and Attraction

The Psychology of Attraction

How do we make friends? Bros Social attraction to another person Physical Proximity: Physical nearness to another person in terms of housing, school, work, and so on Mere Exposure Effect: We gravitate towards people we see the most frequently We are attracted to people who are similar to us Physical Attractiveness: Person’s degree of physical beauty as defined by his or her culture Bros

The Halo Effect We have Cognitive bias in that we tend to generalize a favorable impression to unrelated personal characteristics Good looking people tend to be more successful

Example of Halo Effect Success

Attractiveness is Relative Beauty is in the eye of the culture In Cameroon and many other parts of Africa, obesity has been associated with abundance, desirability, and fertility. In a rite of passage, some Nigerian girls spend months gaining weight in what is known as “the fattening room”.

Every period of history held its own standards on what was and was not considered beautiful.

Different Kinds of Love…. Companionate Love deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined

Passionate Love an aroused state of intense positive absorption in another usually present at the beginning of a love relationship (puppy love)

Essentials for an Enduring Relationship Equity Both partners give the same amount Self-Disclosure Process of revealing private thoughts, attitudes, feelings and one’s history to others Overdisclosure: Self-disclosure that exceeds what is appropriate for a relationship or social situation

Altruism Unselfish regard for the welfare of others What are some acts of altruism you’ve seen or done? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaWA2GbcnJU

Diffusion of responsibility Phenomenon which can occur in groups of people when responsibility is not explicitly assigned Diffusion of responsibility can manifest itself: in a group of people who, through action or inaction, allow events to occur which they would never allow if they were alone. in a group of people working on a task that loses motivation because people feel less responsible.

Kitty Genovese Bystander Effect: Any particular bystander is less likely to give aid with other bystanders present Any Bystander Effects in this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQSffxT18nc