1. Interpersonal Attraction
Why do we want to be around others? Not just limited to romantic attraction.

2. Affiliation Social comparison: to gain knowledge about ourselves
Social Exchange: people will seek out and maintain relationships where rewards exceed costs and terminate relationships where costs are greater than rewards.
Thibaut and Kelley (1959): Alternatives

3. Characteristics of the Individual and Affiliation needs
Genetics
Personality: need for affiliation
Culture

4. Characteristics of the situation and attraction
Proximity
Functional distance
Familiarity
Keith Callow
Anxiety
Schacter/Zilstein

5. Characteristics of Others and Attraction
List what five characteristics you find attractive in other people (long or short term mate).
List what characteristics you have that make you a good catch (or attractive to other people)

6. Physical Attraction Physical attractiveness is equated with good
Accuracy of attractiveness stereotype
Universal beauty standard?
Women’s beauty
Men’s attractiveness
Rub off effect

7. Charlie’s Angels Effect

8. Similarity Demographic Similarity Attitudinal Similarity
Matching Hypothesis: Similarity and Physical Attractiveness

9. Why are Similar Others Attractive?
Self Validation
Evolutionarily, they are safer
Balance

10. Other Factors
Complementarity
Reciprocity

11. Problematic Social Interaction
Social Anxiety
Schacter’s 2 factor Theory of Emotion
Physiological arousal
Cognitive labeling of that arousal
Loneliness

12. Misattribution of Arousal

13. Loneliness
Having a smaller or less satisfying network of social and intimate relationships than one desires