In the next 5 pages, we will discuss how to understand and distinguish attraction. Before doing that, we must establish what exactly attraction is. Attraction is defined as the action or power of evoking interest, pleasure, or liking for someone or something. (source) However, that definition can be interpreted in different ways. While feelings of attraction may open the door for the possibility of a relationship, they don’t guarantee that one will develop. Attraction can be broken down into different categories: rewards, proximity, reciprocity, similarity, and barriers. We will discuss each of those individually in the coming paragraphs. We will also discuss the things that men and women find most attractive in the opposite sex. The idea …show more content…
We like those that are closer to us. Face to face interaction is more personal than a conversation over the phone or internet, which is why a good majority of long distance relationships don’t work. Going back to rewards, interactions between people- whether friends, family, or partners- are more rewarding when you can see a friendly smile, or have the comfort of hearing other’s voice. In a non laboratory study of attraction research, Donn Byrne, Charles Ervin, and John Lamberth conducted a computer dating field study. The study included a 50 item questionnaire on attitudes and personalities and was administered to 44 male- female pairs who were matched on the basis of minimal and maximal similarity of responses. The couples were introduced, given information about the basis of their matching, and asked to spend 30 minutes together in the Student Union. After their “coke date,” they returned to the examiner and were assessed independently. It was found that similarity and attractiveness wee related to the physical proximity of the two individuals after the date. (Byrne, Ervin, & Lamberth, 1970) Think about it like this: when you first started college, the first friends you probably made were you roommates or those who lived in the same building as you. Although those friendships may not last forever, it’s easy to make friends with those who are close to you. The reason who proximity is so important is because you often interact with those who are close to you. You cross paths often and become more familiar with those people. Research even proves that those who you recognize tend to be more likable to you- even if you’ve never spoke. (Miller, n.d.) Proximity is convenient and rewarding, whereas distance can be more costly. This is why many long distance relationships do not survive. The bottom line is we are more likely to meet and interact with those who are close to us. The more we talk with someone, the more
Human’s put a tremendous amount of brain energy and time into obtaining happiness, which is normally associated with finding the “perfect” mate. Many aspects go into the process that is used to determine if one person is better suited than another. Appearance, age, and personality all contribute to someone’s level of attraction to another. Opposites attract is a common myth stating that those levels of attraction are based of extreme differences between the individuals and that difference is what produces the attraction.
A couple that live close to each other is more common then finding a partner who lives across the country, this is known as propinquity. Propinquity is a majority of the way couples meet; however, now that the internet has become an important aspect of people’s lives they are more likely to meet people across the country by being on an on-line dating website. If this is the case, one or both partners need to be willing to relocate in order to continue the relationship. Physical attraction plays an important role in relationships because it helps couples develop passion. Most sociologist have a hard time developing research on this because it is both a social and biological factor that effects people. Although, they have discovered that most couples marry people with the same level of attractiveness. Personality could guide the way a relationship will go even when the couple marries. If the couple has any negative tones they will continue into marriage unless both partners are willing to work towards a more positive way of living. If the couple can make it through all of these filters, they will most likely advance to the final filtering stage called engagement. Engagement allows the couple to show each other and others how “serious” they both are about their relationship, (Lamanna, Riedmann, Stewart,
B efore marriage, love or even dating, there is attraction, the unexpected force that draws two people together. Physical attractiveness is the physical traits which are perceived and believed to be aesthetically pleasing or beautiful. There are multiple factors which influence one person to be attracted to another. These factors can vary between many cultures, cultural and social aspects, and individual subjective preferences (Gangestad & Scyheyd, 2005). An individuals perceived attractiveness can have a significant effect on how they are judged in terms of employment or social opportunities, friendship, sexual behavior, and marriage (Townsend & Levy, 1990).
From my research I have investigated different theories pertaining to this issue. The theory most often noted in this issue is the attraction-similarity model. This theory states that the more similar two individuals are, the higher the attraction between them will be. It is generally uplifting and encouraging meeting others who are like ourselves. For example, befriending someone who has the same interests in music, food, clothing, sports, movies, or books can encourage a lasting friendship. Similarity to others does not only validate our beliefs about the world and ourselves but also creates ag...
As the creators of Tinder probably already know, proximity plays a big role in attraction. Before a user swipes left or right for a photo of another user, the user is able to see how far the other user is from them. People are more inclined to meet and talk to people who are close to them. A common example of how proximity plays into attraction is the common persona of “the boy next door.” Because the relatively attractive boy lives across the street, people will find this boy more attractive than they might find him if he lived 500 miles away from them. Tinder’s distance feature is yet another ingenious idea that promotes Tinder’s popularity because more people are inclined to travel to a convenient location to meet people and Tinder took note of that when they added the distance feature. Unlike other dating sites such as eHarmony and Match.com, Tinder makes meeting people convenient because of the distance feature, which encourages people to use the dating app if they want to meet new people. Also, the Tinder user can swipe right due to how close the two users are and end up becoming friends with the other user, even if the users do not romantically
Often times we like a person for reasons totally unconcious, or biologically preprogrammed, such as with looks. In these cases we must analyze how much we do like the person. Once we estimate how much we like the person you must compare that to just how long you have known the person, and how genuine is your relationship. “people prefer to say yes to individuals they know and like. These five concepts are used:Physical attractiveness--is one feature of a person that often may help to create some influence. Similarity, we like people who are like us and are more willing to say yes to their requests, often without much critical consideration. Praise, enhances liking and can be used as a means to gain compliance. Increased familiarity, repeated contact with a person or thing. A final factor linked to Liking is association. By associating with products or positive things--those who seek influence frequently share in a halo effect by association” (Polinsky 1) All of these concepts contribute to liking someone or
In today’s society people have been adapting to a new way of communicating with one another. Whether it is on the phone, on the computer, or even in person, many people seem to like the comfort of having one another. Some prefer to talk face to face and there are others who prefer talking online especially with someone whom they might not know as well as their friends. In the article, “Hiding Behind the Screen” by Roger Scruton, he argues that relationships in person should not be replaced with relations thru the web. A reader can say that his argument is valid because he provides support on the idea that online relationships are not helpful at all.
“Men lose their judgment and decision making skills when looking at a pretty woman”, this is a negative effect that comes from attraction which can lead to regrettable mistakes and bad decisions (Pincott). Attraction also forces people into a state of dependency, “all that matters is the next encounter, for with its consummation one will feel euphoric, blissful, thrumming with life and with tenderness” (Pincott). Although people in love are happy, it is also like they are consuming a drug, they are enjoying it but it is truly controlling their life and they are dependent on it. Even Beauty in Beauty and the Beast knew the negative effect that leaving Beast would make on him and it was shown when she left, he almost died. This shows how Beast was controlled by the force of attraction and how when beauty left him it crushed him. However Beauty returned to Beast and he was transformed into a handsome king, which was a positive transformation that came from their love. The control of attraction takes over the lives of partners, and if their relationship ends it can have a devastating effect on
Dating nowadays has evolved into something similar to a math equation. Technology has changed society and culture so much in the 21st century that something which did not seem normal probably 30 years ago seems mundane now: meeting people via computer. In order to find the most compatible person, suddenly people are not able to find “the one” and need the help of a computer to tell them who their personality matches with, causing many people to not develop proper social skills along with confidence. People have different relationship goals which they wish to achieve, be it through either traditional or online dating. Although traditional and online dating have many similarities, at the same time they are very different when it comes to the
My impressions of the opposite sex are diverse and have changed throughout my life. As a child born into a family of three girls, my exposure to the opposite sex was limited. The only real male in my life was my father. I never viewed him as the opposite sex because he was my dad. He was a strict, authoritative figure and a great protector. My early impressions of the opposite sex were that of great strength and security, both physically and emotionally.
People create relationships with each other by sending and accepting messages that have an impact on the recipient (Kick, Sawyer, & Thomas, 2015). This can be done in person or through the internet. Social media is a great place to communicate with others because you can get instant responses without having to be in their presence. With new innovations in technology, people are able to access the internet through their phones. This allows people to access social media more often, without the need of a computer. Unfortunately, Kraut (1998) found that the internet is connected with decreases in social association and the mental prosperity that runs with social contribution. This can cause conflict in romantic relationships. In contrast, social media can create some positive feelings and behaviors for people in romantic relationships. Many people who use social media have used it to find a romantic partner. Studies have shown that people who form relationships online will have a positive impact on life satisfaction and well-being (Goodman-Deane et al., 2016). Unfortunately, online relationships may cause conflict in the future. Goodman-Deane et al. (2016) found that having communication with someone in person represented the best measure of both general satisfaction and satisfaction with their partner (Goodman-Deane et al.,
It's a dance as old as the human race. At cocktail lounges and church socials, during office coffee breaks and dinner parties-- most blatantly, perhaps, in the personal ads in newspapers and magazines-- men and women participate in a ritual that has been embedded in our existence since the dawn of man. Beginning at young ages, humans start learning to master the art of attracting someone of the opposite sex, one day hoping to find the perfect mate. Whether it was the physical aspect, personality aspect, or the chemical aspect of attraction, there is something that attracts mankind to members of the other sex. The question is, 'How do you interpret these signals and how do you respond to them?';
When it comes to romantic partners, similarity can predict the success of a relationship: particularly one where moral values are shared. In the social psychological study of attraction, research has shown that it is similarity rather than complementarity which typically promotes attraction. In the research paper, Birds of a moral feather: The role of morality in romantic attraction and relationship satisfaction, written by Koleva, morality is considered a major aspect in both attraction and relationship satisfaction. Romantic ideals, romantic obtainment, and relationship experiences: The complementarity of interpersonal traits among romantic partners written by Markey et.al. further elaborates the importance of certain belief systems which
How have three texts you have studied enhanced your understanding of relationships? Refer to Maestro and two other texts of your choosing?
People use smartphones more often, and in a greater variety of ways, to contribute to -- and avoid -- group gatherings. With the outpouring of mobile tech, it’s become much easier for more people to maintain constant contact with their social networks online. And a lot of people are taking advantage of that opportunity. There is no doubt that the use of these technologies, especially since most social media networks have an application that allows them to be used on our cell phone, are able to keep us more in touch than ever before. But, some people think the opposite is happening. The problem, they say, is that we spend so much time maintaining superficial connections online that we aren’t dedicating enough time or effort to cultivating deeper real-life relationships. Too much chatter, too little real conversation.